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Art Museum Unveils New Exhibit Celebrating 'Prometheus Bound'

By Kim Glovas

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A spectacular exhibit opens Saturday at the Philadelphia Art Museum, inspired by one of the finest works by Peter Paul Rubens.

It's called "The Wrath of the Gods: Masterpieces by Rubens, Michelangelo, and Titian."

Rubens' "Prometheus Bound" is the focal point of the exhibit, but it also includes similar pieces, inspired by the Prometheus myth, and how he was tortured eternally for giving humanity the gift of fire. Chris Atkins is Associate Curator at the Art Museum.

"It's an unprecedented opportunity to see these things together." says Atkins. "It really, really is, and I think it's a dramatic powerful display. I mean, this is not bright, fluffy pictures. These are intense images which we hopefully are showing off to their best."

Michelangelo Buonarroti, Italian, 1475   1564.
Michelangelo Buonarroti, Italian, 1475 1564. (Credit: Philadelphia Art Museum)

One of the pieces, "A sketch of the resurrected Christ" by Michelangelo is on loan from Queen Elizabeth the Second, and dates to 1532.

The Art Museum is also offering a comic book inspired by the Prometheus legend. It's available in the gift shop for 6-dollars. The exhibit runs through December 6th.

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