Prometheus Bound, an oil painting created by both artist Peter Rubens and Frans Snyder, tells the story of the mythological creature Prometheus. The background of the story is that this mythological creature stole fire from the gods and gave the gift to the human race. As a punishment for stealing he is chained to a rocky cliff where Prometheus suffers a horrifying continuous punishment for his unforgiving act. This is what is shown on the oil canvas. As he is chained, a large eagle engulfs it sharp talons into the powerful creature. Not only does the eagle tear his skin apart but then proceeds to devour the mythological being's liver. Unfortunately, the story does not end. The liver regenerates daily for Prometheus to suffer an excruciating fatality.
This painting not only shows the very horrid expressions of pain and terror in the creature's face but also a very dramatic and bloody depiction of what is being done to the Prometheus' liver. Also, a flaming torch at the bottom left corner of Ruben's painting symbolizes the crime that was commited by the creature himself.
Rubens was born on June 28, 1577 in Siegen, Westphalia (now in Germany) and died May 30,1640. This was also where his brother Philip and sister Baldina were also born. Rubens led a very religious life that was because of the major influence of his family upbringing. At first his father, Jan Rubens, was a rightous Calvinist Antwerp lawyer. Since he had converted from Catholicism to Calvinism the father and his family had to flee to Germany to escape religious persecution of the Protestants. When his father died in 1587, Peter and his family journeyed back to Antwerp where he was raised once again to be Roman Catholic. As a child he studied the Latin classics and was also a court page. Rubens then decided to venture into becoming a painter. He spent years in Italy creating his works and finally returned to Antwerp when his mother died in 1608.
