Watson and the Shark

Watson and the Shark was painted by John Singleton Copley in 1778, executed in oil on canvas. The work was created in response to an event that had occurred years earlier: a shark attack on Brook Watson in Havana harbor, an incident that Copley had heard about from the victim himself. The painting is now held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it remains part of the institution's holdings.

The sources do not provide further details on the original commission, the circumstances of its initial acquisition, or the chain of ownership between its creation and its arrival at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Watson and the Shark is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, cataloged under its official accession number as a painting by John Singleton Copley created in 1778. The work has been exhibited in several notable shows at the museum, including the 1935 exhibition "American Paintings from the Fifteenth to the Nineteenth Century" and the 1967 exhibition "American Paintings of the Eighteenth Century," highlighting its enduring significance in the institution's historical narrative.

John Singleton Copley’s 1790 oil painting Watson and the Shark portrays a life‑threatening encounter off the coast of Havana. A young Brook Watson struggles in the sea while a large shark lunges at him, and a small boat crowded with 18th‑century figures attempts a rescue. The composition is framed by distant ships, a hazy skyline, and a storm‑laden sky that heightens the tension.

Copley’s move to England in 1774 opened opportunities to work on grand historical subjects, aligning with contemporary British tastes for dramatic, moralizing scenes. Watson and the Shark reflects the period’s fascination with exotic locales and perilous voyages, while also showcasing the artist’s American roots and European training.