The identity of the original terracotta bust of a young man wearing an elaborate breastplate is unknown. That bust has been painted to resemble bronze, and may have been the model for a bronze which has since been lost. Its unusual bulbous base perhaps indicates it was originally intended for a specific setting, possibly a tomb. Antonio Pollaiulo, along with his brother Piero, was active as a painter, engraver and sculptor in 15th-century Florence. The cast was made by the London-based Italian firm, Franchi and Son.

Plaster casts were especially sought after during the 19th century, when reproductions of great works of sculpture and architecture were thought crucial for the training of artists. A separating substance was applied to the surface of the work to be reproduced, and a plaster mould made from that. The mould would then be used to make any number of additional plaster copies. These were often sold to artists, and later in the century to art colleges for study purposes.