The marble group representing a Nereid sitting on a seahorse is ascribable to the general model of sea nymphs associated with marine monsters. However, the serene pose of this group and the different treatment of the two bodies – much more accurate for the female figure – makes the sculpture more akin to the groups of Muses or Nymphs sitting on a rock.
The statue, known from 1540, was extensively integrated. It used to be conserved at Villa Medici in Rome, it was then transported to Florence and exposed in the Gallery in 1780. La sculpture badly needs a through removal of the heavy layers of dust and grime deposited on the whole surface of both figures, owing also to the prevailing horizontal position. These deposits have formed darker areas that will need lightening to restore the marble surface to a better uniformity and chromatic readability.
The restoration will then focus on the stabilization of fractures and incipient fissures of the drapery, particularly in the lower part of the female figure, and on the assessment of the various integrated and jutting out parts of the marine monster.
