The composition of the above lot is based on a painting in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, traditionally attributed to Guido Reni. Stephen Pepper believes the Vienna picture to be by Francesco Gessi and dateable to circa 1615-20 (S. Pepper, Guido Reni, 1984, p. 298, no. C2, fig. 52). The original by Reni is known to have been in Naples as recently as 1927, and was later sent to the Ministry of Public Instruction, where it has proved untraceable thus far. Dr. Pepper suggests that the above lot may be by a non-Italian follower of Reni who could have seen the original (possibly during Reni's lifetime) in Rome, where the painting remained until the 19th century.

Pepper also notes two other versions of this composition previously recorded by Carlo Cesare Malvasia ; one in Capodimonte (inv. no. 6822) and the other (previously?) in the collection of Conti Castelli.