Thomas Gould is an American sculptor who moved to Italy in his 50s. West Wind is his personification of America, elegantly described as a striding female figure with a belt of stars that represent the United States of America.
Her skirt billows, flutters, and falls in behind her. Made of marble, West Wind had to be physically supported so the hundreds of pounds of marble resting on her tiptoes could be balanced. This he accomplished by joining the skirt to the outcrop of rock behind her.
Read more about West Wind here.
