This painting attributed to Bossi is thought to be a study for a full-length portrait of Auguste-Amélie, the vice-reine of Italy, by Appiani.
Bossi, secretary of the Académie des beaux-arts and one of the principal founders of the Pinacoteca della Brera between 1801 and 1806, winner of the concorso della Riconoscenza of 1802, was put in charge between 1809 and 1811 of the restoration of the Last Supper by Leonardo and from 1810 on he was made supernumerary professor of composition in drawing and painting.