Hephaistos is the Olympian God of Craftsmen, working precious metals with anvil, hammer and bellows. His is a mighty form with strong head and features, extending up and across the picture plane; behind him, clad in white stands the image of Athena, who appears in the story of Hephaistos; Hagiwara, however, makes reference to Venus, the Roman Goddess (Athena in Greek Mythology), whose name he has carved into the block.
