Watson and the Shark

Copley chooses a moment in a rescue when the outcome remains uncertain. The setting is Havana, a major slave-trading port, and a Black sailor occupies a prominent position among the rescuers. The museum relates the painting's creation in 1778 to debates over slavery, revolution, and freedom. Preparatory work and other versions survive.

Watson's pale body emerges from the water with an outstretched hand. His position outside the boat makes the danger immediate.

A sailor leans over the side. His extended body connects those in the boat with the man in the water.

A standing figure raises a boat hook. Copley selects a position in which the rescuing action is still unfinished.

A Black sailor grips a rope. His prominent role matters in a scene set in a center of Atlantic slave trading.

A shark approaches with an open mouth. The distances between shark, swimmer, and boat sustain the uncertainty of the outcome.

Copley began as a portraitist in colonial Boston and moved to England in 1774. There he developed a career in history painting. This work shows the move toward a large event requiring coordination of many participants' actions.