Sun

This image is almost depicting a real event. It is believed
that it is based upon the Zong massacre. The Zong
massacre was a tragic event that took place in the
November of 1781. the Zong was a British ship which was
carrying slaves back from Africa. However the Africa slaves
upon the ship were ill and rife with disease, therefore the
captain of the ship ordered his crew to throw them over
board. By throwing them over board the Captain still got paid
the insurance money for his troubles.
Turner was thought to be influenced to the this
painting because during the mid 17 th century antislavery
was growing popular. In 1850 the British had
forcibly ended the Atlantic Slave Trade in all nations.
Turner Exhibited this painting and the Royal Academy in
1840. This coincided with the meeting of the Anti-slavery
league in which Prince Albert was speaking. It is though
that Turner Painting and exhibited it then to impress him.
In the bottom right hand corner of the painting you
can just see the arms and hands of the drowning
slaves reaching up out of the water. Turner has made
there death even more brutal with the birds flying
above the water waiting for them to die and the fish
swimming around them, again waiting for them die to
so they can eat them. This could suggest that
everyone is just waiting for the slaves to die.