Eagles and Prey

40.772428, -73.972465

Eagles and Prey was a gift to the city from Gordon Webster Burnham (1803-1885), a manufacturing magnate who also donated the statue of Daniel Webster just to the west. The statue was cast in Paris in 1850 on a design by Christophe Fratin (1800-1864) and installed in 1863 in what was then the brand new Central Park. The statue of a trapped goat about to be eaten by two eagles was typical of the anamaliers, a group of 19th century sculptors who had a preference for animal subjects. If you don't count Cleopatra's Needle, this is the oldest sculpture in the entire New York City park system. (reference)

06/13/2007 18:24:06
Eagles and Prey

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