François-Gaspard-Balthasar Adam (1710-1761) was the son of Jacob-Sigisbert Adam, and the younger brother of Lambert-Sigisbert. Born at Nancy, he left his native city in 1729, and spent many years working and training in Paris and Rome before being named premier sculptor to Frederick the Great in 1746, a position he maintained for thirteen years. He returned to Paris in 1760 and died there in 1761.
The present figure of Apollo is closely related to a marble figure of Bacchus (Sotheby's, 8 December 1988, lot 255), signed by Adam and dated 1759. The graceful pose and, in particular, the treatment of the musculature indicate that the creator of the present figure was probably working in close proximity to Adam.