Watson and the Shark

Well, here’s a painting that puts your “bad day at the beach” stories to shame. Commissioned by the victim himself, Brook Watson, this scene depicts the very real, very toothy moment in 1749 when, as a 14-year-old, he had a rather unfortunate encounter with a shark in Havana Harbor. Yes, he commissioned a painting of his own dismemberment decades after he became a wealthy, one-legged politician. Talk about owning your trauma. The composition is pure, glorious drama. A pyramid of horrified sailors forms the central focus, culminating in a Black sailor who holds a lifeline, a notably heroic depiction for the era. The naked and pale Watson is sprawled in the water, his pose elegantly borrowed from the classical statue "Borghese Gladiator," because even in moments of terror, one must be stylish. The whole chaotic scene is packed with art-historical shout-outs, from Raphael to Rubens, suggesting themes of salvation and the classic struggle of man versus nature. Historically, the painting is a delightful mix of fact and creative license. The attack was real—the shark struck three times before Watson’s crewmates could pull him out, minus the lower part of his right leg. The setting is mostly accurate, though Copley, having never been to Cuba, relied on prints of Havana for the background. And the shark? Let’s just say Copley had probably never seen one. With its forward-facing eyes and what appear to be lips, this particular sea monster looks more like a tiger that swallowed a fish. It’s a powerful lesson, apparently: if a shark is going to bite your leg off, make sure you eventually get a great, slightly inaccurate painting out of it.