Lucienne Gillet exhibited Célina at the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1902. For this bust, which may be a portrait of her sister, the artist opted for an intimate style of portraiture, where the delicate features express the model's simple character. The young girl's gaze captures the visitors' attention, while her slightly parted lips seem to bring her face to life.

Little is known about the sculptor Lucienne Gillet. This lack of information reflects the historical neglect of women artists, particularly sculptors who worked during the second half of the 19^th century. Yet, Salon catalogues attest to the growing number of female artists during this period, especially in the decorative arts and drawing sections. The example of Camille Claudel and the artists with whom she shared her studio on Rue Notre-Dame des Champs in Paris bears witness to the passion young women felt for pursuing an artistic career.

The bust was purchased and donated to the museum in Nogent-sur-Seine by Baron Alphonse de Rothschild. Highly philanthropic, the Baron and Baroness de Rothschild supported young artists—both women and men—through their purchases at the Salon, while also supporting provincial museums to which they gifted the acquired works. Camille Claudel benefited from this generosity, as several of her sculptures entered public collections through these patrons (notably in the museums of Châteauroux, Avignon, and Clermont-Ferrand).