Pandora's Box is a timeless theme in art, symbolizing the release of unforeseen consequences and the duality of hope and despair. In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman created by the gods, endowed with gifts of beauty and curiosity. She was given a box (or jar) and warned not to open it, but her curiosity led her to disobey, releasing all the world's evils—leaving only hope inside.

One of the earliest artistic representations is "Eva Prima Pandora" by Jean Cousin the Elder, a 16th-century painting that portrays Pandora as a symbol of temptation and the origin of human suffering. This theme was later embraced by the Pre-Raphaelites, such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who depicted Pandora with an emphasis on beauty and tragedy, focusing on the fateful moment and its consequences. These artistic interpretations, spanning centuries, reflect the enduring relevance of Pandora's Box as a metaphor for the complexities of human actions and their far-reaching impacts.