Брук уотсон и акула. картина, основанная на реальных событиях

Overcoming Adversity: “A Most Useful Lesson to Youth”

The Watson and the Shark painting explores many themes, one common theme being that of resurrection. Although Copley did not paint in the traditionally expected manner of religious or mythological figures, the message and motifs conveyed are those of classical narratives we find from the Bible, namely resurrection, martyrdom, and overcoming adversity.

The nude figure of Watson, highlighted by an unknown light source, suggests to us someone who is being saved. We see the implicated idea of salvation, and the real-life tale of Watson and the shark facilitates the above.

After Brook Watson’s death in 1807, the painting was donated to the Christ’s Hospital (a charity school) in Sussex, England. Watson’s wish for the painting was to inspire other children or orphans at the school. Watson explained in his will that (the said painting) should be “hung up in the Hall of their Hospital as holding out a most useful Lesson to Youth”.

Watson and the Shark by John Singleton Copley

When John Singleton Copley’s dramatic painting of a shark attacking 14-year-old Brook Watson was displayed at London’s Royal Academy in 1778, it made a stir. It had been 30 years since the attack was depicted.

The boy had made the mistake of jumping from a skiff while the ship he was crewing on was anchored in Havana Harbor.

He was attacked by a shark, which bit his right leg and dragged him underwater. The child came to the surface for a brief moment before the shark dragged him back down, attacking his right foot. 

Copley shows the boy’s dramatic rescue: just as the shark was about to bite for the third time, a courageous crewmate using a boat hook fended it off.

Часто задаваемые вопросы

Что такое «Ватсон и акула»?

Ватсон и акула» (1778) — картина маслом, написанная американским художником Джоном Синглтоном Копли. Она считается самой известной из знаменитых картин Джона Синглтона Копли 18 века. На картине изображен мальчик из каюты по имени Уотсон, который отправился купаться в гаванскую гавань, но на него напала тигровая акула, и его спасли члены экипажа с причаленного корабля. Существует три версии этой знаменитой картины: одна — оригинал 1778 года, вторая — реплика, а третья — уменьшенный более вертикальный размер 1782 года.

Кем был Уотсон на картине «Уотсон и акула»?

Ватсон, его полное имя Брук Ватсон, был 14-летним мальчиком (осиротевшим в детстве и отправленным жить к тете и дяде), когда на него напала акула. Он был кают-компанией на корабле, пришвартованном в гавани Гаваны. Он выжил после нападения акулы и вырос, став успешным бизнесменом, политиком, а также служил в армии. Среди его заслуг — член парламента с 1784 по 1793 год, лорд-мэр Лондона в 1796 году и директор Банка Англии.

Что означает картина «Ватсон и акула»?

Некоторые источники предполагают, что в картине «Ватсон и акула» присутствуют религиозные темы, что объясняется сильными религиозными убеждениями художника, который был христианином. Некоторые смыслы и темы связаны с «воскрешением и спасением», что особенно заметно в том, как Копли изобразил обнаженное тело Ватсона в воде, как будто он страстно отдается высшим силам.

К какому жанру живописи относится картина «Ватсон и акула»?

Картина «Ватсон и акула» относится к нескольким различным жанрам, однако она рассматривается преимущественно как историческая картина, поскольку на ней изображены истоки подлинной истории и героизм Брука Ватсона. Этот жанр также был одним из первых в то время, когда художник жил в Лондоне. Картина также считается картиной животного жанра, поскольку Копли изобразил акулу, сделав значительный акцент на акуле как на огромной, грозной силе, с которой нужно считаться, что характерно для жанра живописи животных.

Джон Синглтон Копли «Брук Уотсон и акула», 1778 год

На этой картине мы видим людей в лодке, которые не просто плавают, а пытаются спасти находящегося в воде юношу. Двое мужчин тянут к утопающему руки, один отбивается багром от акул, остальные всячески помогают и сопереживают пострадавшему. Давайте попробуем разобраться, что же здесь произошло.

Джон Синглтон Копли «Брук Уотсон и акула», 1778 год

Картину создал художник Джон Синглтон Копли, который был мастером портретной и исторической живописи. Сюжетное полотно «Брук Уотсон и акула» не относится ни к портретным, ни к историческим, поэтому выделяется среди всех работ мастера. Почему же он решил написать такую необычную картину?

Копли родился и вырос в Бостоне, однако в преддверии войны за независимость в 1774 году он решил уехать в Европу. Живописец поселяется в Лондоне, где знакомится с преуспевающим торговцем лорд-мэром Бруком Уотсоном. Уотсон имел физически дефект — у него не было ноги ниже колена. Однажды он рассказал Копли свою историю, которая на столько впечатлила художника, что тот решил воплотить её на холсте.

Брук Уотсон был сиротой и воспитывался родным дядей, у которого служил матросом на торговом корабле. Однажды 14-летний Брук решил поплавать в гаванской бухте и заплыл достаточно далеко. Внезапно мальчик почувствовал невероятную боль. Повернувшись, он увидел рядом акулий оскал.

На помощь к юноше тут же поспешил экипаж корабля, который, по счастью, неподалёку готовился высадить капитана на берег. Брук вспоминал, что один из мужчин бил акулу багром, другой — бросил в воду верёвку, а кто-то пытался руками вытянуть парня из пасти зубастого чудовища.

Джон Синглтон Копли «Брук Уотсон и акула», фрагмент

Именно этот момент и изобразил на своей картине Джон Копли, который был поражён услышанной историей. Художник очень эмоционально передал борьбу людей с хищником, которая, к счастью, закончилась в пользу первых.

Членам экипажа удалось вырвать молодого Уотсона из пасти морского чудовища, правда акула успела откусить юноше ногу до колена и вырвать кусок плоти из второй ноги.

Брук пережил сложную по тем временам операцию и даже заражение крови, но смог выжить. Причём он совершенно не был в обиде на судьбу за то, что с ним случилось. Мужчина отмечал, что история с акулой заставила его больше ценить жизнь, да и к тому ему удалось хорошо заработать, неоднократно рассказывая этот случай журналистам.

Несмотря на жизнь с деревянным протезом, Уотсон стал уважаемым человеком и даже получил должность лорд-мэра Лондона. А его история стала самым ранним полностью задокументированным случаем нападения акулы на человека.

Что касается самой картины, то Копли создал три её версии. Одну он отдал Уотсону, вторую сделал для себя, а третью — для музея.

Хотя картина «Брук Уотсон и акула» пользовалась популярностью и была выставлена в Королевской Академии, она всё же подверглась критике. Дело в том, что Копли никогда не был в Гаване и не видел акул, поэтому его хищницу назвали совсем неубедительной. По мнению критиков, акула Копли больше похожа на тигра, а пейзажи на заднем плане далеки от гаванских.

В настоящее время оригинал хранится в Национальной галерее искусства в Вашингтоне, вторая полноразмерная версия — в Музее изобразительных искусств в Бостоне, а третья, уменьшенная и с более вертикальной композицией, — в Институте искусств в Детройте.

Painting History as it Happens

General Watson would have made history regardless of this painting. He was Sheriff and then Mayor Lord of London. After that he led the Bank of England as its Director. Yet his political competitors and peers often mocked Brook’s shark tale. They were unimpressed by his accomplishments. One even wrote a poem about him saying:

It’s no surprise Watson would want a more heroic narrative for his legacy. Close ties with John Singleton Copley gave him the idea. He’d fight poetry with painting. Turns out the color and drama of a sensational portrait have massive impact. With this work, Watson rewrote his own history. It’s a masterpiece of heroism. Not only was this guy Mayor of London and head of a major bank. He survived a terrifying shark attack as a teen.

There’s a powerful lesson in this. Watson took his weakness – that peg leg – and made it a badge of honor. After this painting impressed the masses, it was more than a mere walking hindrance. It was proof of his resilience. After all, if he was able to endure ferocious shark jaws, what else might he overcome? A few lines of poetry certainly can’t hurt such a formidable force.

It made little difference that the painting wasn’t quite factual. The shipmates who saved him are not these men. That shark isn’t quite accurate either. But that’s not a surprise. Sharks were hard to spot in 1778. Forget getting an actual model for one. With that in mind, Copley did a stunning job. This shark’s a beast and he’s got the choppers to prove it. In fact, the painting’s composition puts the shark and Watson face-to-face. It raises the dramatic pitch of the portrait. Wind blows furious. Desperate men reach for each other’s outstretched hands.

It’s naked life and death at stake. No matter how much viewers come to this painting knowing about its subject, we’re pulling for the young, vulnerable and flailing Watson. Get him in that boat! Classic underdog marketing works magic through the ages via masterpiece.

Mrs. Jerathmael Bowers by John Singleton Copley

By his marriage to Mary Watson in 1734, Joseph Sherburne (23.143) had a daughter, Mary Sherburne (1735–1799). She inherited a huge fortune as her father’s lone heir.

She married Jerathmael Bowers, a wealthy and well-known Quaker from Swansea, Massachusetts, in 1763. They have three girls and one son.

This image is based on a British mezzotint by James McArdell, which was inspired by Sir Joshua Reynolds’ portrait of Lady Caroline Russell from 1759. Copley faithfully replicated this figure, substituting the sitter’s face for Lady Russell’s.

The portrait is said to have been created around the time of the sitter’s marriage in 1763. The painting’s frame is assumed to be the original.

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The Death of Major Peirson by John Singleton Copley

This painting commemorates the British defense of Jersey against the French invasion in 1781, as well as the death of a young Major named Francis Peirson. The island of Jersey, which was once part of France, has been in English hands since 1066.

A small army of French soldiers landed on the island during the night of January 5-6, 1781, and marched against St Helier, the capital. They kidnapped Governor Moses Corbet and forced him to sign a surrender paper.

The British garrison and the Jersey militia, led by Major Peirson, mounted a counter-offensive, during which Peirson was killed by a French sniper.

Pompey, Peirson’s black servant, turned on the sniper and shot him dead almost instantly. The French were defeated in combat in Royal Square.

Аннотация художника: Кем был Джон Синглтон Копли?

Джон Синглтон Копли был англо-американским художником, родившимся, по некоторым данным, в Бостоне, штат Массачусетс. Он считался одним из самых влиятельных колониальных художников своего времени, популярным благодаря своим портретам и историческим картинам. Сначала он жил и работал в Америке как художник, а в 1774 году переехал в Лондон, Англия, где продолжил свою карьеру, в частности, писал исторические картины. Он создал более 300 произведений искусства и был пионером жанра американской реалистической живописи.

Джон Синглтон Копли Автопортрет (1780-1784) Джон Синглтон Копли; Джон Синглтон Копли, Общественное достояние, через Wikimedia Commons

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Watson and the Shark?

Watson and the Shark (1778) is an oil painting done by the American artist, John Singleton Copley. It is considered to be the most well-known out of John Singleton Copley’s famous paintings of the 18th Century. It depicts a cabin boy called Watson, who went out for a swim at Havana Harbor, but he was attacked by a tiger shark and rescued by crewmates from their docked ship. There are three versions of this famous painting: one is the original from 1778, the second is a replica, and the third is a smaller more vertical size from 1782.

Who Was Watson in the Watson and the Shark Painting?

Watson, his full name Brook Watson, was a 14-year-old boy (orphaned when he was young and sent to live with his aunt and uncle) when the shark attacked him. He was a cabin boy for a ship docked at Havana Harbor. He survived the shark attack and grew up to be a successful businessman, politician, and also served in the military. Some of his accolades include being a member of Parliament from 1784 to 1793, the Lord Mayor of London in 1796, and the director for the Bank of England.

What Does the Watson and the Shark Painting Mean?

Some sources suggest that there are religious themes in the Watson and the Shark painting, due to the artist’s strong religious beliefs as a Christian. Some of the meanings and themes are about “resurrection and salvation”, which are especially evident in how Copley depicts the nude body of Watson in the water, almost as if he is passionately surrendering to a higher power.

What Genre of Painting Is Watson and the Shark?

The Watson and the Shark painting falls under a couple of different genres; however, it is regarded predominantly as a historical painting because it depicts the origins of a true story and the heroism of Brook Watson. This was also a genre pioneered by the artist at the time, who lived in London. It is also considered an animal genre painting because of how Copley portrayed the shark, having placed significant emphasis on the shark as a great, formidable force to be reckoned with, which is a characteristic of the genre of animal painting.

A Boy with a Flying Squirrel by John Singleton Copley

Copley’s half-brother Henry Pelham is depicted with a pet flying squirrel, a creature prevalent in colonial American portraiture as a mark of refinement.

The painting was sent to London for a 1766 exhibition while Copley was a Boston-based portraitist hoping to be acknowledged by his European colleagues. Artists like Joshua Reynolds praised it generally but criticized Copley’s little size.

Later historians and critics regarded the picture as a watershed moment in both Copley’s career and American art history. Exhibitions of the piece were held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Gallery of Art. It is held by the former as of 2021.

The Death of the Earl of Chatham by John Singleton Copley

The Earl of Chatham’s Death shows William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham’s death on April 7, 1778, during a House of Lords debate on the American War of Independence. Chatham is surrounded by peers from the realm, and there are fifty-five portraits in the artwork.

Copley’s picture also provides as a visual record of the Armada tapestries’ appearance before they were destroyed in the 1834 Parliamentary Burning. Lord Chatham was the mastermind behind Britain’s success in the Seven Years’ War (1757–1763), during which the British gained dominance in America.

He was opposed to American independence, although sympathizing with American concerns and opposing the use of force to conquer the Americans.

Daniel Crommelin Verplanck by John Singleton Copley

Daniel Crommelin Verplanck (1762–1834) was born in New York and spent his early years in his family’s lower Wall Street residence. He was Judith Crommelin’s and Samuel Verplanck’s eldest son (39.173).

He married Elizabeth Johnson, the daughter of Columbia’s president while attending Columbia College (originally King’s College). They were the parents of two children. Verplanck married Ann Walton, with whom he had seven children after she died in 1789.

They lived on Wall Street until 1803 before relocating to Fishkill, New York. From 1803 to 1809, he served in Congress as a representative for Dutchess County. Daniel was nine years old when the portrait was created in 1771.

The background is traditionally thought to represent a vista of Mount Gulian from the Verplanck country estate in Fishkill.

John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark Painting

The painting’s scene occurs in the middle of the sea, where several men on a boat are trying to save a boy from a shark. In the foreground, the naked young man who falls to the sea desperately stretches his hand for help. Notably, the boy is represented to have a well-developed musculature, long fair hair, and a severe wound on his right leg, possibly from being attacked by the predator (Copley). The man’s face seems to express horror for his own fate. The shark, shown adjacent to him, is opening its mouth to devour the young man (Copley). The giant fish also has blood on its lower jaw, indicating the connection between the boy’s wound and the attack. People on the boat, who are also scared and concerned, strive to save the boy by trying to capture his arm or providing him with a rope that the young man can hold. The only person, in the front, not actively involved in a savior is the harpooner, eager to kill the shark. Lastly, the two individuals in the background do not participate in this process because they row the boat.

I think the central message of this painting was not only to reconstruct the situation that happened to Brook Watson but also to show the bravery of humankind in the face of grave danger. Although Copley left America because of political disagreement with the actions of people wanting to overthrow the colonial government, being born in Boston, he still likely admired their courage (Milles 21). The appreciation of bravery was reflected in this particular piece of art. Moreover, the painting may be an allegory for the conflict between the United States and British Empire, the former being sailors and the latter being shown as a shark. I think this interpretation may be valid because, at that time, British Empire’s Royal Navy dominated the sea, while the American army primarily consisted of untrained amateurs. Therefore, the painting appeared to show the inequality of the forces between the two opponents. Notably, history shows that the boy, who was attacked by the shark, was able to survive and become a successful British politician (Copley). It seemed that the painter predicted the great future of the American nation due to its unbending will.

Artist Abstract: Who Was John Singleton Copley?

John Singleton Copley was an Anglo-American artist, reported to have been born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was considered to be one of the most influential colonial painters of his time, popular for his portrait paintings and historical paintings. He first lived and worked in America as an artist and in 1774 moved to London, England, where he further developed his career, notably his historical paintings. He created over 300 artworks and was a pioneer of the American realist painting genre.

John Singleton Copley Self-Portrait (1780-1784) by John Singleton Copley; John Singleton Copley, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

1. O’Hearn, Megan. “Watson and the Shark: ‘a most usefull Lesson to Youth’.” Last modified July 26, 2017. https://www.artstor.org/2017/07/26/watson-and-the-shark-a-most-usefull-…
2. Southgate, M. Therese. “Watson and the Shark.” Journal of American Medical Association, 291, no. 19 (2004): 2290. doi: 10.1001/jama.291.19.2290.
3. “Watson and the Shark.” Detroit Institute of Arts. Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.dia.org/art/collection/object/watson-and-shark-41300.
4. “Watson and the Shark, John Singleton Copley.” National Gallery of Art. Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.nga.gov/collection/highlights/copley-watson-and-the-shark.h….
5. Zygmont, Byran. “John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark.” Last modified August 9, 2015. https://smarthistory.org/copley-watson-and-the-shark/.

Watson and the Shark – FAQs

Where can I see John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark in person?

This remarkable History Painting adds flair to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Many fine masterpieces make their homes at this venerable institution. These include Two Women at a Window by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and A Princess of Saxony by Lucas Cranach the Elder.

How did Brook Watson get attacked by a shark in real life?

Orphaned before the age of ten, Watson grew up with his aunt and uncle in Boston, Mass. His uncle was a merchant and thus got his nephew a job on his ship crews trading with the West Indies. On one such journey Watson went for a dip in Havana Harbor, Cuba. A shark attacked and nearly killed him. Thank goodness his ship’s crew were able to save him. Though he did lose his right leg in the debacle.

What type of art is Watson and the Shark by John Singleton Copley?

This piece fits into several painting genres. But its most significant as a History Painting. That’s because Copley founded this category alongside Benjamin West. Also Watson’s heroic portrait was the painter’s most lauded work. It brought Copley fame and fortune in England when he was a newcomer.

Watson and the Shark fits into the Animal Painting genre as well. The shark seems far more significant than a mere fish here. Copley portrayed Watson’s shark with the power of a ferocious monster. This is a key element to the Animal Painting category. These works give animals attributes beyond realism to elevate them. They thus represent themes and archetypal symbols.

What’s the meaning behind the painting Watson and the Shark?

Art historians often point to John Singleton Copley’s religious fervor when analyzing this painting. Notice Watson’s outstretched arms. He seems to surrender to a higher power. His head falls back in defeat. This in many ways parallels the symbol of Jesus on the cross. So, art historians have said this painting represents “resurrection and salvation”*. This could be attributed to Copley’s deep Christian beliefs.

The Copley Family by John Singleton Copley

After moving to England from America in 1776, Copley created a colossal portrait of his family between 1776 and 1777. (now at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.).

He had arrived eighteen months before them in Europe, therefore the piece commemorated their wonderful reunion. It also showcased Copley’s portrait painting abilities. His paintings got so well-known that he was able to sell reproductions based on them.

Copley painted this oil sketch twelve years after finishing the original work, using gray tones as a guide for the engraver. The prints were a wonderful investment because they not only sold but also generated new painting commissions. Mrs. Copley hugs John Jr., the future Lord Lyndhurst, tenderly.

Daughter Mary stands by her side, while the self-assured Elizabeth stands in front. Susanna, a London native, rests on Mrs. Copley’s father, Richard Clarke’s lap. Standing behind his family and dressed tastefully, Copley depicts himself as a sophisticated guy who has recently returned from a tour of Europe’s major cities and tourist attractions.

His daughters are dressed in frocks with sashes wrapped loosely around the waist, a new trend for children. These costumes were not scaled-down replicas of adult clothes but rather were created to allow for movement, in line with new beliefs on the nature of childhood.

Copley modified his wife’s haircut and clothing, as well as the settee, from rococo to the increasingly trendy neoclassical design, to adhere to current fashion.

Introduction

One of the most well-known paintings of John Singleton Copley was Watson and the Shark. It was created in 1778 and is believed to be inspired by a real-life situation that the artists took from the life of a fourteen-year-old boy named Brook Watson (Copley). This work generated an enormous resonance in the 1778 exhibition in London because art connoisseurs had never encountered such a vigorous and vibrant representation of action and emotions (Copley). Although Copley left America before the war for independence started, it appeared that, at his core, he remained a person who valued individualism and cooperation pertinent to American culture (Milles 21). In fact, the very distinct use of bright colors and the light contrast allowed him to present people’s faces uniquely and display a metaphoric meaning related to British-American conflict in this artwork.

Reboots have always been a fan favorite and in 1782 John Singleton Copley jumped on the bandwagon to revive one of his classics: Watson and the Shark.

The scene opens: Havana Harbor, 1749. Sailor Brook Watson was the ripe age of 14 and in desperate need of a cooling-off. Discarding his heavy woolen sailor suit, Watson dove into the warm water for a freeing skinny dip. Before the defenseless teen could realize what was happening, a great tiger shark struck his right leg and pulled him under. After the first hit, the shark had stripped the flesh from Watson’s leg, but it was still hungry. The shark attacked Watson a second time, severing his foot at the ankle. The beast was coming back for thirds, when a rescue team finally arrived. Watson was yanked aboard to safety while one fearless sailor drove a boat hook into the shark, deterring it from another attack. Watson miraculously survived the event, and was fitted with a peg leg — a life-long sign that he was a true survivor of the savage seas. 

Almost thirty years later, Watson met John Singleton Copley and commissioned a monumental painting of his attack. Copley was searching for a subject to test out his history painting skills, and was happy to hear of Watson’s story of salvation. In 1778, Copley painted two copies of the scene, which are now housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The dramatic artwork was a major hit at the Royal Academy and spearheaded Copley’s rise to fame in Europe.

Four years later, Copley returned to his easel to paint Watson and the Shark a third and final time. This version, now a cornerstone of the Detroit Institute of Arts’ collection, differs quite a bit from its predecessors. Most noticeably is the change in size and orientation. History paintings are known for their massive horizontal canvases, but in 1782 Copley challenged that notion by squeezing the elaborate event into a small, vertical frame, shrinking his original composition by over 75%.

The smaller surface area does not stop Copley from loading the work with emotion and energy; he goes all in on the gore of the attack. Blood courses down Watson’s dismembered leg that is clearly missing its foot. To reduce the horror of the event, Copley revamps Watson’s long, shiny blond hair. Watson looks more like the star of Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus than a rugged young sailor in excruciating pain as his luscious locks flow out towards his attacker. As for the antagonist, we are happy to say that Copley learned a bit more about the anatomical composition of sharks since his first go. In his earlier works, Copley’s shark had forward-facing eyes, gaping nostrils that looked like a French mustache, and no gills — how was that poor creature even alive?! Probably after receiving a lot of hate for his unrealistic depiction of the world’s greatest marine predator, Copley tried a bit harder to make his 1782 shark look less like a backup dancer at a Katy Perry concert and more like the real thing. This new and improved shark has eyes on the side of his head, much smaller nostrils, and gills so he can actually breathe. Overall, the shark still looks like a giant gray sausage in the sea, but Copley gets points for trying.