Marble bought in Rapallo. One strong vein

A photograph of this sculpture accompanied an article by Ezra Pound in Esquire magazine, August 1934.

Marble was bought in Rapallo at the time Henghes was living and working there.

Porto Venere Stone in which sculpture is carved (known as Port d'oro) was given to Henghes by Mrs. Townley

Near black stone from Revanto-Bracco

Braco stone

Paonazzo Marble. made from a block left over from 'colt'. Arm broke along a vein and is held in place by cement and internal brass pegs.

Verdi di Prato agglomerate. Peggy Guggenheim

Previously cataloged as Man with Raised Arms

Notes by Henghes written on the completion of this work:
Venus, finished May 1946 after almost 3 1/2 months work is so far the largest stonecarving I have done. I stole the block which was lying in a garage by claiming to the tenant that it was mine. It is lovely, gray crystalline marble. This and the bust done a year ago are the beginning of a new humanism in my work. I have given up abstraction for good now in this and through venus I have satisfied myself of the promise of new life in this retour a l'aube which I will make the tenor of the future. The work has exhausted me. I feel tired and indifferent because of the let up of nervous strain the work on this statue has been. It now stands calm and poised in my studio in a silence of its own and I cannot yet judge this venus.