The Commedia dell’Arte, was a form of improvised street theatre, which spread from 16th-century Italy throughout Europe, and remained popular for around two centuries. Commedia dell'Arte troupes engaged in very physical acting using music, dance and acrobatics in their performances. While the plot was largely improvised, stock characters were used and were recognisable to the audience by their costumes, accents and poses. The popularity of this form of theatre inspired paintings and decorative objects depicting the commedia characters.

The eight pairs of porcelain commedia figures by Franz Anton Bustelli, created between 1759 and 1760 at Nymphenburg, capture the theatrical gestures used by the actors and are among the most important of all rococo ceramic sculptures. This figure's precise role in the commedia dell'arte is unclear today although Bustelli based him on a contemporary print engraved by Martin Engelbrecht where he is identified as Anselmo. He was originally modelled as one of a pair of figures, the other character being the lady's maid, Corine who is modelled reading a letter aloud to him. His hand gesture suggests intrigue, as he is possibly warning her to keep her voice down or stop speaking as someone is coming. The style of his hat and dress have also led him to be named as a religious figure, the Abbé.