The sculpture depicts the character of ancient Greek mythology Hermaphrodite, whose body combines female (chest and hips) and male (genitals) features. The reclining figure is half turned on its side, the head rests on crossed arms. Presumably the sculpture combines the images of Aphrodite and the feminized Dionysus. The sculpture involves a circular detour. At first, on one side, the viewer sees a naked female figure depicted in a languid pose, according to the Hellenistic tradition. Then, on the other hand, you can suddenly see naturalistically executed male genitalia, which fully reflects the ancient myth and Platonic philosophy, but in this case provokes an exclusively erotic perception.
A Roman copy of the sculpture was discovered in Rome in 1608 on the territory of the monastery at the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria next to the baths of Diocletian and the gardens of Sallust. She became part of the famous collection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese and was called "Hermaphrodite Borghese".
In 1807, Napoleon I bought from his brother-in-law Prince Camillo Borghese a significant part of the Borghese collection for the Louvre exhibition, where the Sleeping Hermaphrodite is still kept.