prometheus is a distributed digital image archive that currently makes over 135 databases from institutes, research facilities, and museums with more than 4,176,000 records from the fields of art, culture, and history researchable on a common user interface.

Situated at the Institute of Art History of the University of Cologne, prometheus is supported by the non-profit association prometheus e.V. which promotes the ongoing developments of the digital media for science and research.



Image series of the week

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The Bayeux Tapestry
58 Individual Scenes – This embroidery, which is almost 70 metres long and 52 cm high, was created in the second half of the 11th century, presumably commissioned by the Bishop of Bayeux. | more...


News

Images from the collections of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation

21 September 2026 | By: Corinna

As of June 30, 2026, the Picture Agency for Art, Culture, and History (bpk), an institution of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, ceased operations. The images included in prometheus (17,262 records) remain available through us for your research, but under a new name: “Bildmaterial der Sammlungen der Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz” (Image Material from the Collections of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation).

It is no longer possible to request permission to publish using a form. However, you can find the image rights and publication information directly next to each image; to request permission to publish, simply click the three vertical dots next to the checkbox.

More: +++ + 6 Collections of the "Rheinisches Bildarchiv" +++ Expansions of Institutional Databases +++ Our YouTube Channel +++ Objects in Your Database +++ Städel Museum Digital Collection +++ to the blog...