Vulcan was the Roman god of fire and the blacksmith who forged weapons for the gods and heroes. He was lame, which is the reason he is aided by a support here. In Paolozzi's work, Vulcan (or his Greek counterpart, Hephaestus) is often seen as the archetypal sculptor. This impressive sculpture is in the Modern Two and reaches from the ground floor to the ceiling of the first floor. Vulcan is shown swinging his hammer and marching across the Great Hall. He is half-man and half-machine - a monument to the modern age.