Watson and the Shark is the title of a 1778 oil painting by John Singleton Copley, depicting the rescue of Brook Watson from a shark attack in Havana, Cuba. The original of three versions by Copley is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
The painting is based on an attack that took place in Havana harbour in 1749. Brook Watson was a 14-year-old orphan serving as a crew member on his uncle's trading ship. While swimming alone, he suffe...
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Watson and the Shark is the title of a 1778 oil painting by John Singleton Copley, depicting the rescue of Brook Watson from a shark attack in Havana, Cuba. The original of three versions by Copley is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
The painting is based on an attack that took place in Havana harbour in 1749. Brook Watson was a 14-year-old orphan serving as a crew member on his uncle's trading ship. While swimming alone, he suffered two attacks by a single shark. On its first attack, the shark bit off a chunk of flesh from Watson's right leg below the calf; on the second attack, it removed his foot at the ankle. The crew of a small boat, which had been waiting to escort their captain to shore, fought off the shark and rescued Watson. His leg was amputated below the knee, but he went on to live a full life, including a term as Lord Mayor of London. This is the earliest attack by a shark on a human to be fully documented.
Copley and Brook Watson became friends after the...
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