It would be seventeen years after the completion of Venus in the Shell II in 1932, before Matisse would return to sculpting with clay again –and then, only rarely. Standing Nude (Katia) is Matisse’s last sculpture. It shows a female figure standing upright with her arms held over her head. In contrast to the earlier figures with a similar posture, this bronze sculpture is almost symmetrical. Also of note is the fact that the figure lacks feet – a device through which Matisse emphasizes its verticality. Due to its slender upright posture, he named the model sycamore. While he was working on it, the figure broke at the hip; however, he decided to keep this defect visible.