Romantic sculptor closest to Delacroix and Géricault, whose student he claimed to be, Fratin is best known for the anthropomorphic animals, bears and monkeys that decorated the pedestal tables in the salons of the 1840s. Unlike Barye, who has studied animals for many years and gave completely naturalistic representations, Fratin didn’t hesitate to betray nature in order to dramatize the scene and give emphasis to the feelings expressed. In this point of view, he was more radically related to the Romantic movement than his fellow.

After great successes under the July monarchy (Aigles, monument, Jardin des Plantes Metz; Aigles sur leur proie, monument, Central Park, New York), he went bankrupt making models for the publishing house Eck et Durant. On the verge of bankruptcy, he regularly had to liquidate his studio, selling his work at auction (more than 20 sales in his lifetime). He ended his days in Raincy in the greatest poverty.