  John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark (detail), 1778. National Gallery of Art, Ferdinand Lammot Belin Fund 1963.6.1 A sailor has tossed a rope in the water, but it dangles beyond Watson's grasp. Two others strain over the side of the boat, attempting a rescue, while the elder boatswain grasps his companion's shirt in an effort to keep him on board. The terrified oarsmen row furiously, and the man standing in the prow, boat hook poised, is about to thrust his weapon at the lunging beast. In April 1778, while Copley's painting was on exhibit in London's
Royal Academy, a detailed description of these horrific events was published
in a London newspaper. The text, believed to have been penned by Brook
Watson himself, describes the scene in excruciating detail, ultimately
reassuring readers that thanks to the surgeon's skill, "after suffering
an amputation of the limb, a little below the knee, the youth received
a perfect cure in about three months." |
