A naked Prometheus has just created Man in clay. The goddess Minerva complete with peplos and cloak, helmet and spear, is placing the butterfly – a symbol of the soul – on the head of the small statue. On several occasions Thorvaldsen was compared to the figure of Prometheus, and the myth found its way into his catalogue of motifs. Thorvaldsen later also used Vulcan, the god of blacksmiths, as his motif – placing special emphasis on the god’s practical skills.
