This print is a study for the 1954 oil painting Le Colosse de Rhodes (or The Colossus of Rhodes) which was painted for the 1956 film Seven Wonders of the World. Dalí created 7 oil paintings for the film, each portraying a wonder of the world.
The Colossus of Rhodes depicts Helios, the Greek God of the Sun. Helios is nearly always shown wearing a crown. As a result of his position as the sun, Helios is said to be ever-present and all-seeing. Therefore, he is known to be a guardian of oaths made to the universe.
The original 1954 oil painting was never used in the 1956 film. In 1981 it was donated to the Kunstmuseum Bern in Switzerland and since then it has been exhibited internationally.