The Myth of Prometheus (Piero di Cosimo)

The Myth of Prometheus is a series of two panels painted by Piero di Cosimo, executed in 1515. It shows Prometheus standing before a life-size statue.

Subject
Two versions of the painting with the same title of "The Myth of Prometheus" are known to exist. The Myth of Prometheus (1515) Oil on panel, Alte Pinakothek, is held at Munich. The Munich version depicts a central statue among other activities in the painting.

A second version of The Myth of Prometheus (1515) Oil on panel, Musée des Beaux-Arts, is held in Strasbourg. The Strasbourg version depicts a statue addressed by Prometheus on the left side of the canvas, with other activities depicted elsewhere on the canvas with equal prominence, including a dark bird on the right side of the canvas apparently the symbolic of the eternal torment of Prometheus as recorded in mythological sources.

Analysis
Erwin Panofsky in his book Studies in Iconography commented on the painting of Prometheus in comparison to paintings about Vulcan (mythology) and the theme of human development of primitive mankind to civilized mankind stating: "...represent the myth of Prometheus and Epimetheus. In both cases the imagination of the artist is centered around the 'Awakening of Humanity,' and in both cases the stimulus of this awakening is fire," (p. 50).