The sculpture of a Woman Cutting Her Nails is most likely attributed to the workshop of Barthelemy Prieur, early 17th century. It has gone through multiple attribution changes. The sculpture has a warm brown patina and there are traces of gilding on the surface, most especially on the drapery. Prieur was born in 1536 and worked in Rome, Turin, and Paris before he was exiled to Sedan. During this period, he created small-scale bronze sculptures of secular imagery. Multiple versions of this sculpture are known, in models of two different sizes, found in Paris, London, and Vienna to name a few. In addition, there is also a small group of bronzes of women in acts of bathery or toiletry.  Conjecture has been made that the sculptures may have been intended for dispersal in sets.

Analysis completed with a handheld X-ray fluorescence Spectrometer revealed that the sculpture is a low tin bronze, with low levels of lead and traces of iron, nickel, zinc, arsenic, silver, and antimony, which is consistent with the time of production.

​The sculpture was cast using the lost-wax method. Evidence from x-radiography suggests that a primarily indirect method was used. A reusable piece-mold was likely made of the original model out of wax or clay. Next, molten wax was probably  poured into the mold and slushed around to create a hollow wax shell. Thin interior walls can be seen in x-radiography and the thickness of the walls is uniform. The x-radiographs show that the head, arms, and lower legs are solid metal, suggesting they were formed free hand and joined to the rest of the figure. A seam is visible all the way around the neck and x-radiographs show a denser area in the neck, suggesting the head was cast onto the body after the initial pour.

A small amount of light-colored material, probably remnants of the core material, is found in the interior. Tool marks on the interior of the sculpture show that the core was dug out after the outer mold was removed.  A plug in the proper left shoulder and a hole behind the proper right shoulder could be holes left  behind by core pins.

The earliest layer on the sculpture is most likely the dark coating that has been worn away over time and with handling. It seems to consist of an organic binder and a variety of aluminosilicates and pigments. Traces of gilding are present on top of the coating. Based on X-ray fluorescence it suggests that oil gilding was used. Next, a translucent red coating is present over some of the gilding, although it is unclear how the coating was applied.  Testing showed that it consists of iron earth pigments in an organic binder. 

​Finally, areas of green material are present on the surface and the interior.  The green deposits on the figure's back are largely unchanged in the past 50 years, based on photography.  This suggests that it is not typical bronze disease. One possibility is that a chloride containing material was accidentally applied.  Another possibility  is the copper chloride was applied purposefully as a pigment. In the 19th century, artists commonly colored their bronzes by using superficial pigments.  

The green material found inside the figure was identified with X-ray diffraction as  atacamite  and paratacamite. This corrosion probably formed in the more typical manner. The green material found in the drapery is different than both other materials. SEM-EDS results confirm that it is an organic substance, more specifically an amorphous matrix of a copper resinate with trace inclusions.