Quentin Bell, the second son of Vanessa and Clive Bell (his older brother Julian was killed in the Spanish Civil War), came to Leeds University in 1959 as Head (afterwards Professor) of Fine Art. The levitating figure was a recurrent theme in Bell's work, sparked by the exciting experience of a conjuror's trick in his childhood. There are maquettes and drawings of the same theme which predate this piece by twenty years or more. This sculpture is the result of a collaborative partnership between the artist and Dr Gurdev Singh (Department of Civil Engineering) and other University staff. The sculpture was commissioned at the suggestion of Stanley Burton, who funded the project, and a maquette, which was given to him by Quentin Bell at the time of the unveiling in 1982, is now also in the University collection.