Watson and the Shark

This dramatic painting depicts the rescue of 14-year-old Brook Watson from a shark attack in Havana Harbor, Cuba in 1749. Copley captures the terror and heroism of the moment with theatrical intensity. The diverse crew struggling to save Watson from the water makes this one of the earliest American paintings to include a Black figure in a prominent, heroic role.

Exhibition Venue

National Gallery of Art

Washington, D.C., United States