Aimé Jules Dalou (d.1902) studied under Carpeaux and became one of the most versatile and outstanding French sculptors of the 19th century. Boycotting the official Salon from 1861 onwards, exhibiting instead at the so-called Salon des Refusés, he was vehemently opposed to the classicism which dominated sculpture under the Second Empire. Fleeing to London after the crushed revolution of 1871, in which he took an active part, he taught sculpture at South Kensington and was to greatly influence the trend in late 19th century English sculpture towards greater naturalism. Returning to Paris, he was a founder member of the Société Nationale des Beaux Arts in 1890.

The present figure of Verité Méconnue was originally modelled on Dalou's return to Paris in 1890. The model was produced in two sizes by Susse Frères and featured in their 1910 catalogue, nos. 772-773. It was also illustrated in Art et Décoration, 1903, p.280. The statuette is an interesting adaptation of the seated nude theme for ideological purposes, the mirror, in this case cracked, being a common attribute of Truth since it does not lie.