Bronzes often exist in a number of versions, made over many decades or even centuries. This is achieved through a variety of means, such as changes in the wax, new moulds taken from an existing bronze or the reuse of the existing model. This statuette of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and fertility, restraining the beautiful youth Adonis and another (inv.no. A.58-1956) were probably cast from the same moulds. Fanelli varied the composition of his small bronzes by combining the wax elements in different ways. There are a number of small differences between these two groups, particularly in the dogs on the left and the slain boars on the right.

Venus, the Roman goddess of love and fertility and mother of Cupid, fell in love with Adonis after being accidently grazed by Cupid's arrow. Adonis was killed by a wild boar while out hunting, and is usually shown with his hounds and prey. A remnant of the foot of a missing Cupid can be seen on the rock behind Venus.

Franceso Fanelli (1577- ca. 1641) was first documented in Genoa in 1608, where, until about 1631, he produced religious works in marble, silver, ivory and bronze. By 1635, he was working at the English court. Although he described himself 'sculptor to the King of Great Britain', it is unclear whether this title was officially conferred. The V&A owns versions of several small bronzes by 'ffrancisco the one-eyed Italian' listed in an inventory of Whitehall Palace in 1639. George Vertue stated that Fanelli 'lv'd and dyd in England'; he is last documented in 1641 and believed to have died soon after.