Prometheus Unbound (Carl Bloch)
| Prometheus Unbound | |
|---|---|
Prometheus Unbound | |
| Artist | Carl Bloch |
| Year | 1864 |
| Medium | Oil paint on canvas |
| Subject | Prometheus |
| Dimensions | 3.98 m × 2.77 m (157 in × 109 in) |
| Location | Tatoi Palace |
Prometheus Unbound is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Danish painter Carl Bloch.
Description
The painting depicts the myth of Prometheus freeing himself from chains, having defeated the eagle that ate his liver.[1][2] It measures 3.98 by 2.77 meters.[2] It is a Romantic work.[2]
History
Prometheus Unbound was painted in 1864, having been commissioned by George I of Greece, and was first shown in 1865.[1][3] It was shown in Charlottenborg in Copenhagen, to great acclaim, and was then shipped to Athens, where it hung in the royal palace. It returned to Denmark for Charlottenborg in 1932, but by this time it was considerably less popular among visitors.[3] In the 1980s, people became more interested in Bloch's works, but by then it was not possible to locate Prometheus Unbound.[3] In spring 2022, an employee at the Ribe Kunstmuseum discovered that the painting was in storage in the former royal collection in Athens, now managed by the Greek Ministry of Culture.[3][4] The Ministry of Culture declared it a national monument, then it was loaned to Denmark in 2023 for display at the National Gallery of Denmark for a restrospective of Bloch's artwork.[5] After this show, it was displayed in the Museum of Pavlos and Alexandra Kanellopoulou, then transferred to the permanent collection of the Tatoi Palace.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Kokkinidis, Tasos (28 August 2025). ""Prometheus Unbound" Masterpiece Last Seen 90 Years Ago Found in Greece". GreekReporter.com. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ a b c "PROMETHEUS UNBOUND. A masterpiece rediscovered". CANELLOPOULOS MUSEUM. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Helena (25 January 2025). "Carl Bloch's Lost Masterpiece Prometheus Unbound Finds Fame Again in Athens". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- ^ "Painting reappears in Greece after almost 90 years". SMK – National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen (Statens Museum for Kunst). 26 January 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ Charlie, Kowalenko (16 October 2024). "Masterpiece Returns to Greece: 'Prometheus the Redeemer' Exhibition Inaugurated at Canellopoulos Museum Greek City Times". Greek City Times. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
External links
- Media related to Prometheus Unbound (Carl Bloch) at Wikimedia Commons