Meisje met lam 1832

This is Louis Royer's terracotta sculpture, "Meisje met lam" or "Girl with Lamb." Royer, working in the 19th century, captured a serene and tender moment. The girl, depicted with a gentle gaze, cradles a lamb in her arms. The intimacy in this small sculpture speaks volumes about the connection between humanity and nature. During the 1800's, the Romanticism and Neoclassical movements were influencing artists. Romanticism emphasized emotion and individualism as well as the glorification of the past and nature. Neoclassicism focused on order and reason, as well as classical Greek and Roman art. The girl's serene expression invites us to consider the vulnerabilities shared between humans and animals. Royer’s work reflects societal values of compassion and the symbolic associations of purity and innocence often connected to lambs. The sculpture embodies both a personal and universal reflection on empathy.