Straf van Sisyphus 1729

Jacob Folkema’s 1729 etching, "Straf van Sisyphus," depicts the Greek mythological figure Sisyphus, condemned by the gods to eternally roll a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down again. The scene is set in a shadowy underworld, with Sisyphus straining against the massive stone in the foreground. Folkema's detailed rendering of the figures and the landscape creates a sense of timeless punishment and futility, highlighting the myth's enduring relevance as a symbol of endless labor and the unattainable. The artwork is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum.