Prometheus Creating Man - etching - 17.5 x 25.1 cm - Washington DC, NGA

The Titan Prometheus stands in the center of a wild landscape, pressing a glowing torch against the chest of a newly formed, lifeless man to impart a soul. In the sky above, the sun god Apollo drives his chariot through the clouds, representing the celestial source of the flame. Around the figures, various animals including a lion, elephant, and ape observe the creation, highlighting man's unique status among living creatures.

In the Renaissance Neoplatonic tradition, Prometheus served as a primary archetype for the 'divine craftsman' and the human intellect's ability to grasp celestial wisdom. The myth was frequently used by thinkers like Marsilio Ficino to explain how the human soul is a 'divine spark' (scintilla) trapped within a material body.