Children with shellfish and vegetables 1751 - 1761

This terracotta sculpture by Robert Joseph Auguste depicts two cherubic figures, one reclining while the other sits upright, surrounded by a bed of vegetables and shellfish. The work, created between 1751 and 1761, is a charming example of Rococo sculpture and is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The delicate details of the children's forms and the naturalistic representation of the surrounding flora contribute to the overall sense of playful innocence and exuberance that characterizes the Rococo style.