“Prometheus Unbound in Chios” | The iconic painting by Carl Bloch travels to the Chios Mastic Museum

The Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation, in cooperation with the Directorate of Modern Cultural Heritage and the Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments at the Ministry of Culture, inaugurates the exhibition “Prometheus Unbound in Chios” on Friday 4 July 2025 (at 19:30) in the Chios Mastic Museum. 

The monumental painting by Danish artist Carl Bloch, depicting the Titan Prometheus released from his bondage with the help of Hercules, travels beyond Athens to Chios as its sole destination before it is permanently exhibited in the Mansion at the Tatoi Estate.

                                                                                             

In the exhibition at the Museum in Chios, for the first time, the painting will be accessible to people with visual impairment, thanks to the Foundation's collaboration with the cultural organisation liminal. The accessibility services provide a haptic rendering of the work by artist Danai Sakellari (AMAKA civil non-profit company), an audio description of the work in Greek and English combining elements from the haptic aid and from the original work, a presentation of the exhibition texts in an accessible format and, finally, information leaflets in braille about the exhibition. 

The work, commissioned by the young King Georgios I on the occasion of his accession to the throne in 1863, was created in 1864 in Rome and was brought to Greece in order to decorate the staircase of the old palace (today it houses the Hellenic Parliament). It is considered one of the most impressive paintings created for Greece in the 19th century. Its great appeal to the public of its time established Bloch's reputation as a major Danish painter.

This is a masterpiece with an eventful history, as it was impossible to find for many decades, leading many to believe that it had been lost. However, in 2012, the artwork was discovered during works in Tatoi by the Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments of the Ministry of Culture. Ten years later, it was designated a cultural heritage monument and was presented in a retrospective exhibition at the National Gallery of Denmark (2023) and to the Greek public at the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum (2024). 

Once again, the effective cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation creates the conditions for us to reflect on the symbolism of 19th century art and seek new approaches to it today. In this way, it confirms the role of the Cultural Foundation as a body that offers significant cultural activities in the region, enhancing the cultural development of the areas where it operates. 

In the context of the temporary exhibition “Prometheus Unbound in Chios”, the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation is organizing a programme of parallel activities, aiming to give various audiences the opportunity to discover the myth of Prometheus and approach it with imagination and creativity, through original artistic activities.

 Especially for July and August: 

Sundays 6, 13, 20, 27 July | 11:00
Art Camp II | Creative workshops for children aged 8-12 

Four special workshops, inspired by the art of engraving, painting, mosaics and sculpture, give children the opportunity to interact with Prometheus in an experiential and entertaining way. Kalliopi Liadi (visual artist), Stamatia Mavrikou (educator), Dimitris Kostalos (artist), Sevi Vigka (educator). 

Detailed programme: 

• Sunday 6 July | “Can you print the myth?”

Using printmaking, children narrate, observe, draw, engrave and print words and images inspired by the myth. 

• Sunday 13 July | "Painting the myth: children release Prometheus and... are released"

Based on Carl Bloch's painting, children draw the scene of the myth that made an impression on them, focusing on the concept of liberation. 

• Sunday 20 July | “Let’s make a mosaic out of the painting!”

Using the mosaic technique and safe, colourful materials, children create their own version of Prometheus Unbound. 

• Sunday 27 July |”Histories of fire on black figures”

Drawing on the aesthetics of black-figured vases, children form their own narrative representations on vases. 

Monday 21 July | 18:00
a-TOPOS | Participatory performance with bubbles
The La Petite Marguerite company, inspired by Carl Bloch's painting "Prometheus Unbound in Chios", invites children to a magical journey based on mythology and the timeless symbolism of elements and myths. The performance will take place on the same day and at 11:00, adapted for people with disabilities. 

Thursday 21 August | 21:00
“Prometheus Unbound” | Theatre performance for the general public
The troupe Theatre Cycle “Theatre-makers of Chios” presents a performance inspired by the work of Percy Shelley translated by Lorentzos Mavilis. Stavros Spyrakis has the role of Prometheus. 

Sunday 24 August | 11:00
“Bonelli’s Eagle-Aquila fasciata: Discover the Mediterranean eagle” | Experiential workshop on ecological awareness for children aged 5-15
In cooperation with the Association "Friends of Chios Trails" and the Hellenic Ornithological Society, we organize an educational programme with a tour of the exhibition, information on the symbolism of the eagle and an experiential workshop with performances, puppet theatre and environmental games. 

Sunday 31 August | 11:00
“Prometheus, the Titan who loved humans” | Storytelling performance and creative workshop for families with children aged 7-12
An interactive storytelling session with live music (keyboards, percussion), which introduces young and old to the story of Prometheus. This will be followed by a creative workshop led by Anezoula Katsimpiri and accompanied by two musicians. 

See the creative team of the exhibition here 

Chios Mastic Museum
Pyrgi, Rachi site (Tepeki), 821 02 Chios
Τ.: 22710 72212 | www.piop.gr