Watson and the Shark
1778
Imagine being attacked by a shark in Havana harbor—that's the terrifying true story behind this masterpiece. Young Brook Watson floats helplessly in the foreground, reaching out as a massive shark lunges for his leg, while his crewmates scramble in a boat to harpoon the beast. The artist, John Singleton Copley, had never actually seen a shark when he painted this in 1778, so he had to rely on sketches and pure imagination to create the monster. Despite the gruesome subject (Watson actually lost his leg), the painting was a sensation in London and helped establish Copley as a major artist.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
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