In the Odyssey, Homer tells of Venus's infidelity with Mars and of Vulcan's revenge against his unfaithful wife. Helios, the sun-god, spied the lovers together and told Vulcan of the cuckolding. Furious, the god, who was blacksmith to all of the other god's, forged a lightweight but unbreakable net which he arranged over the lovers' bed. At their next liason, the goddess of love and the god of war were caught in the act. Vulcan called all of the other gods to witness the disgraceful scene and refused to release the pair until her father, Poseidon, promised to return the dowry the blacksmith had provided upon the marriage.

The present marble, which depicts Venus being disentangled from Vulcan's net by a pair of putti, is a superb example of virtuoso Italian carving during the 19th century.