Sujet

Watson and the Shark, 1782. Creator: John Singleton Copley.

Légende

Watson and the Shark, 1782. Brook Watson had been sent to sea at fourteen; he decided to go for a swim while his ship was docked in the shark-infested waters of Havana Harbor. The painting depicts the moment when the shark is coming by for his third and possibly final attempt to make a meal out of Watson. The men in the boat were successful in harpooning the shark and heroically rescued the swimmer. Upon returning to the ship, Watson’s left leg was amputated and he was fitted with a peg leg. Later in life he became Lord Mayor of London and was often satirized, with his peg leg playing an important feature.

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art

Notre référence

HRM25A53_111

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

58,7Mo (4,3Mo) / 35,0cm x 42,0cm / 4136 x 4960 (300dpi)

Mots clés

transport transportation people male man men fish historical boat boats arts painting Havana Cuba country figure figures art guy British weapon weapons color fishes attack attacking shark scene war depiction location century Colonial gallery spear Britain rescue concept rescuer rescuers harpoon warfare art gallery oil Painting United States of America Colour aquatic life Realism water transport weaponry mayor Realist 18th century Eighteenth Century culture American history historic America USA artistic movement Ciudad de la Habana colonialism Lord Mayor Lord Mayor of London Oil on canvas TGN Mayor of London shark attack united states John Singleton Copley Watson 1780s rescued Copley John Singleton J. S. Copley R. A. Oil on canvas Havana Harbour Brook art centre Detroit Institute of Arts Brook Watson art movement Heritage Art John Copley American Art before 1950