The plaster, coming from the heirs of the engraver Paolo Toschi together with the herm of Maria Luigia (inv. 2532), takes up a similar marble work by Canova as well as being in evident relationship with the large statue depicting Napoleon as the peacemaker Mars today in London ( Apsley House).
The work in 1814 was saved from destruction because, as the still visible writing "AUGUSTO" indicates, it was transformed into the head of the Roman emperor and included among the models for use by students at the Academy of Fine Arts in Parma.