Who painted Prometheus?

Prometheus was painted by Max Beckmann in 1942.

Where can I see Prometheus?

Prometheus is held by Hamburger Kunsthalle.

What movement is Prometheus?

Prometheus is associated with German Expressionism.

Artwork

Prometheus

Max Beckmann , 1942

Prometheus is an oil painting by the German Expressionist artist Max Beckmann. It dates from 1942 and is held in the collection of the Hamburger Kunsthalle.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1942, Prometheus / The Man Left Hanging is an oil on canvas by Max Beckmann. The composition presents a stark, theatrical scene in which a figure dangles from a pink drape, his arms outstretched and mouth open in a silent scream, while three onlookers watch from the floor. The work resides in the Hamburger Kunsthalle’s permanent collection.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, suspended against a darkened backdrop, evokes the mythic suffering of Prometheus, yet Beckmann renders the torment in a contemporary, ambiguous setting. The three seated observers, one clutching a glowing yellow object that releases a plume of smoke, suggest a passive audience to violence, amplifying the painting’s atmosphere of tension and unresolved dread.

Technique & Style

Beckmann employs vigorous brushwork and a vivid palette of pinks, purples, and stark whites, characteristic of his later, more unsettling visual language. The distorted anatomy and exaggerated gestures align with the expressive distortions of early 20th‑century German art, while the overall composition reflects his departure from strict realism toward a more subjective, emotionally charged mode.

History & Provenance

Although often linked to German Expressionism, Beckmann himself rejected that categorisation, preferring the term New Objectivity for his 1920s output. By the 1930s his imagery grew increasingly somber, a trajectory evident in this 1942 painting. After changing hands in the post‑war art market, the canvas entered the Hamburger Kunsthalle, where it remains on display.