The original marble versions of these two groups were commissioned in 1674 by Colbert for the Parterre d'eau in the Park of Versailles. It was intended that there be four groups after designs by Le Brun, each representing an element, the Girardon group representing Fire, the Marsy and Flamen group Air. The marble original of the Rape of Proserpine is in the Orangerie, Versailles, and Boreas and Orithyia is in the Louvre.

A pair of bronze sculptures of the same groups in the Wallace Collection are illustrated J. Mann, Sculpture, London, 1931, S169 and S170, pl.50