These charming plaques of Coade stone were originally installed at the Danish-Norwegian Consulate in Stepney, conveniently located to serve the many sailors in London Docks, in 1796. In 1968 they were moved to this more prominent location on the Norwegian Embassy "by courtesy of the Greater London Council", it says on a brass plate below. I take this to mean the GLC allowed it but the Norwegians had to stump up for the cost.
The right hand plaque shows chubby little putti in the two main divisions of agriculture, animal husbandry and crop cultivation, but without the rivalry that led to such distressing consequences for Cain and Abel.
On the left, more putti cultivate the Fine Arts: Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.
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