After a model by Giambologna (1527-1608) Italian, Florence, first quarter 17th century

Alfred Beit (1853-1906), by 1904;
by descent to Sir Otto John Beit Bt (1865-1930);
by descent to his son Sir Alfred Lane Beit Bt (1903-1994);
by descent to Lady Clementine Beit (1915-2005);
by whom donated to the Alfred Beit Foundation, Russborough House, Ireland;
its sale, Christie's, London, 7 December 2006, lot 194;
with Daniel Katz Ltd, London, 2007 

W. Bode, The Art Collection of Mr. Alfred Beit at His Residence 26 Park Lane London, Berlin, 1904;
W. Bode, Catalogue of the Collection of Pictures and Bronzes in the Possession of Mr. Otto Beit, London, 1913, p. 107, no. 213;
Master Bronzes from the Beit Collection, exh. cat., Daniel Katz Gallery, London, 2007, pp. 36-39 

Overall the condition of the bronze is good with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There are remnants of a reddish dark brown lacquer patina in the crevices. There are minor nicks throughout, particularly around the back and shoulders and left leg. There are a few flattened areas, probably cast in, including at the left buttock and to the scroll of the base under the proper right knee. There are a few losses to the edges of the base, including two chips to the corner and lower edges of the black section. One side of the black marble plinth was reattached.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In their seminal 1978 Giambologna exhibition catalogue Avery and Radcliffe associated the present model and several other nudes occupied with their toilet with a group of compositional studies which had been modelled by Giambologna in the 1550s and 1560s and were executed by his followers as independent bronzes (op.cit., nos. 5-11). In his discussion of a more numerous variant of this bronze, which includes Cupid, Penny points out that the pose with the lifted knee certainly resembles that of the personification of Florence in Giambologna’s marble group Florence triumphant over Pisa (op.cit., p. 60). The high degree of finish of the present bronze, with its finely dressed hairdo and clearly articulated digits and nails, compares well with that of a cast that includes Cupid in the Metropolitan Museum of Art which Radcliffe gave to Antonio Susini in 1978 (op.cit., no. 10). This led Daniel Katz to do the same for the present bronze in his catalogue of bronzes from the Beit collection in 2007 (op.cit.). There are three further casts of the present model: in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Dijon (Avery/Radcliffe, op.cit., no. 8), the Staatliche Museen Berlin (Bode, 1904, op.cit., p. 9, no. 281), and the Liebighaus (inv. no. St. P. 378).