The original ancient Parian marble sculpture that this is a cast from was acquired from the family of the Principe Laurenzano in Naples by the antiquities collector Charles Townley (1737–1805) during his Grand Tour in 1772. It was one of his favourites. He printed on his visiting card and it was the only piece he took with him when he fled his house during the Gordon Riots in 1780. It features prominently beside him on his desk in Zoffany’s famous 1782 painting of Townley’s collection of statues – which the British Museum bought after his death – at his London house at 33 Park Street, Westminster. A solemn female is emerging from a calyx of leaves. She has long been known as Clytie, the nymph whose unrequited love for the god Helios caused her to turn into a sunflower although scholars have disputed her identity and authenticity.