Prometheus
Artist
Giovanni Battista Langetti
(Italian, 1625 - 1676)
Date17th century
MediumOil on canvas
DimensionsOverall: 66 3/4 x 74 in. (169.5 x 188 cm)
Overall, Frame: 73 3/4 x 81 in. (187.3 x 205.7 cm)
Overall, Frame: 73 3/4 x 81 in. (187.3 x 205.7 cm)
ClassificationsEuropean art
Credit LineGift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Object number71.548
Terms
- Mythology
Collections
On View
On viewLabel TextGiovanni Battista Langetti Italian, 1625-1676 Prometheus, 1600s Oil on canvas Imagine the pain Prometheus is about to endure as he inches away from the eagle at his left! According to Greek mythology, the immortal Prometheus committed the crime of stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mankind. As punishment for the deed, the Gods of Mount Olympus chained him to the side of a mountain. Tethered, he is unable to escape from the eagle sent to peck out his liver, which grows back daily. The Museum's National Endowment for the Humanities Paintings Conservation Fellow recently restored the painting by Italian artist Giovanni Battista Langetti, returning it to the galleries after 40 years behind the scenes. Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. 71.548
