Sisyphus

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was punished for cheating death by being forced to roll a huge stone up a hill for all eternity. Every time he would get near the top of the hill, the boulder would roll all the way down and he would have to start all over. Sisyphus became a metaphor for any tragically futile action.

Ross McSweeney built an automata illustrating the trial of Sisyphus, made from laser cut wood. The devil is in the details. Literally, as you can see the devil underneath making sure that Sisyphus never makes any real progress. A vulture is keeping an eye on him for added effect. This work of art isn't for sale, but you can make your own, because McSweeney has the digital files for the laser cutting for sale at his Etsy shop. (via Geeks Are Sexy)