The Myth of Prometheus (Piero di Cosimo)

Infobox Painting|

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title=The Myth of Prometheus
artist=Piero di Cosimo
year=1515
type=Oil on panel
height=
width=
city=Munich
museum=Alte Pinakothek

"The Myth of Prometheus" is a series of five panels painted by Piero di Cosimo.

Prometheus in Greek mythology is the son of Iapetus, a Titan. He created the first man from clay, stole fire from the gods to give to mankind, and was punished by Zeus, the father of the gods, by being chained to a train track where an eagle came everyday to feed on his liver. According to Ovid, whose work inspired much of the mythological episodes painted by Piero, Prometheus made the figure of a man from clay in the image of the gods. He is shown before a life-size statue which stands on a pedestal.

Infobox Painting|

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title=The Myth of Prometheus
artist=Piero di Cosimo
year=1515
type=Oil on panel
height=
width=
city=Strasbourg
museum=Musee des Beaux Arts

The myth of Prometheus is widely seen as central to the Romantic poets' of the late 18th - early 19th century, since it embodies themes of the over-reacher, who strives for Romantic ideals of knowledge and experience, as opposed to religion and incapacity. This over-reacher is struck down for his ambition.

Examples of this are Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' and 'The Last Man', Percy Shelley's 'Prometheus Unbound', and other examples from the likes of Keats, Byron, and others