Antonio Bordiga, a young sculptor, living in the Latin Quarter of New Orleans, is commissioned by William Baker, a rich, but degenerate, clubman, to carve a statue for him. Antonio is unable to secure a woman sufficiently beautiful in body and soul to pose for the statue and loses interest in his work. He is gazing out of his studio window one sunny afternoon when his attention is attracted to a young man forcibly kissing a girl. He rushes to her aid. She is so beautiful that he begs her to pose for him. She acquiesces.