1. Ethan Holaday
Watson and the Shark
John Singleton Copley
1778

2. Background Artist: John Singleton Copley Medium: Oil on Canvas
Style: Neo-Classicism
Contractor: Brook Watson
Current Location: National Gallery of Art

3. What functions are performed by lines?

4. Outline Shape
Implies Movement
Create Focus
Create Sense of Calm

5. How are shapes used?

6. Organic Shapes in the Foreground
Imply chaos, lack of order, randomness
Geometric Shapes in the Background
Express control, peace, order

7. Where is there visual texture?

8. Smoothness of Watson’s skin
Turbulence of waves
Jagged teeth of shark
Ruffles in Clothing
Smoothness and sharpness of harpoon
Gossamer lightness of sails

9. How is the illusion of space created?

10. Things in foreground (Watson, shark, and boat) larger
Things in background (harbor, boats, battlements) smaller
Vanishing point behind harpooner
No definite horizon line
Sense of urgency and epic nature

11. What symbolic purpose does value have?

12. Watson bright, glowing
Freedom
Purity
Goodness
Shark and Clouds above dark, murky
Danger
Chaos
Clouds in the distance bright, glowing
Hope

13. What unity and variety is present?

14. Unity
Proximity of men in boat
Togetherness, strength
Repetition of ships on harbor
Order, perfection, peace
Variety
Reactions of men
Complexity of human emotion
Watson’s Nudity
Youth, innocence, vulnerability

15. How is ethos used?

16. Watson’s terror
Varied emotions of men
Rage of the harpooner
Violent fury of the shark

17. What is the MESSAGE????

18. My opinion:
Social Contract theory of John Locke
Man is pure, innocent, and totally free in his natural state. However he is completely vulnerable and lacks any measure of security. Therefore man must become a part of society, giving up absolute freedom for the security and strength offered by it. When this is accepted, the man experiences a new birth of life and can have hope for his future.

19. What are the purposes?

20. To entertain the English people with an exciting scene in a faraway place and the past
To convey the Social Contract Theory
For Copley to earn respect in the artistic world
To make people think twice before swimming alone in shark infested waters

21. Bibliography Copley, John Singleton. Watson and the Shark. 1778.
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Smart History. Web. 26 Oct. 2011
Floryan, Meg. “Copley’s Watson and the Shark.” Smart History. Khan Academy, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011
Gersh-Nesic, Beth. “Neo-Classicism.” Smart History. Khan Academy, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011
“Watson and the Shark.” National Gallery of Art. National Gallery of Art, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011