If you’ve been on the walking trail at Compton Gardens, you’ve likely stumbled across the Group of Bears sculpture. There are several pieces of art along the trail at Compton Gardens to enjoy while appreciating the surrounding trees and gardens, but the Group of Bears piece is a favorite!

The bears were originally sculpted in 1932 by Artist Paul Manship. These three bears, first carved separately, were cast from the original molds by Manship’s son in 1999, many years after his father’s death. They are made from bronze, a common casting metal.

Manship’s bears were initially designed as part of a massive gateway to be built at the Bronx Zoo, but the gateway was never constructed. These bears don’t include as many details as some of Manships’s other pieces, as these were intended to be about 20 feet off the ground. He sculpted them while referencing bears at the zoo.

There are a few other casts of this sculpture, including one in Central Park in New York!