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Art Inquiry: Watson and the Shark
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John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark (1778)
Nine sailors tried to help Watson.  What character traits do they possess?

Learn more about this work of art by answering the multiple-choice questions below. Mouse over the image for clues!

1. Where does the shark attack take place?

  1. The open seas
  2. A harbor
  3. A pond
  4. A tidal pool

2. How is the shark in the painting different from real sharks?

  1. It has nostrils.
  2. It has an ear.
  3. The shark’s head is above water.
  4. The shark’s body curves around the boat.

3. What does the red in the lower left corner of the painting indicate?

  1. The shark has already bitten Brook’s leg.
  2. The men in the boat have stabbed the shark.
  3. The water is dirty.
  4. It is the Red Sea.

4. As a group, the figures in the boat make up what kind of shape?

  1. A circle
  2. A rectangle
  3. A triangle
  4. A square

5. Does Brook Watson survive?

  1. Yes
  2. No way!
 
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John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark, 1778, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Ferdinand Lammot Belin Fund