John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark, 1778.

"John Singleton Copley's Watson and the Shark was inspired by an event that took place in Havana, Cuba, in 1749. Fourteen-year-old Brook Watson, an orphan serving as a crew member on a trading ship, was attacked by a shark while swimming alone in the harbor. His shipmates, who had been waiting on board to escort their captain ashore, launched a valiant rescue effort. As the sailors hurried to Watson's aid, the shark repeatedly attacked the struggling boy. During the first assault, the shark stripped the flesh from Watson's right leg below the calf. In the second attack, the shark bit off Watson's foot at the ankle."

"Copley minimized the gore associated with such an attack, but traces of blood are visible in the water and on the shark's mouth. The composition is cropped to suggest the right foot is missing. The naked swimmer is transfixed in shock. 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."

The Watson and the Shark web feature was written, designed, and produced by Donna Mann, senior publications manager, education publications.