Eagles and Prey, Bronze sculpture in Central Park, United States.

Eagles and Prey is a bronze sculpture by the French artist Christophe Fratin, made in 1850 and placed in Central Park in 1863. It shows two eagles attacking a helpless goat, a scene of the elemental power of nature. The group stands outdoors on a stone base along a park path.

Christophe Fratin cast Eagles and Prey in bronze in 1850; it first stood in Paris. In 1863 Gordon Webster Burnham gave it to New York, and it was placed in Central Park a year after the park commission decided to install new statuary there. Critic Clarence Cook objected to its "wild and exotic" subject, but the work outlasted that early disapproval.

The work reflects the French tradition of animal sculpture and brings natural themes into the urban setting of Manhattan. This artwork connects wild nature with the city park, creating an interesting contrast between the two.

Eagles and Prey stands in Central Park, Manhattan, New York, at coordinates 40.77251, -73.97252. The bronze is outdoors and viewable at any hour from the surrounding park paths; the nearest park entrance is at 69th Street. The 1992 cleaning and repair left the sculpture in place among the park's 19th- and early 20th-century statues.

The work retains its original bronze patina that developed over time from outdoor exposure. This natural darkening and weathering is visible evidence of the age and quality of 19th-century casting techniques.