J.M.W. Turners Painting the Slave Ship

J.M.W. Turners painting of a slave ship that was got caught in a bad storm. The dark clouds filled the sky with a fiery red and yellow sunset. The reddish brown water is worrisome the waves splash against the ship, and the sails of the ship are not opened giving the impression that a storm was approaching. The Slavers realizing that a storm was near; they also realized that in order for them to save their ship and their selves, they will need to start throwing the dead and dying slaves overboard before the waves crash upon their decks.

Back in slave days slave trading was a very profitable business. The slavers purchased insurance for their human cargo and would collect on their insurance policies; but only however if the slaves, died from drowning, not if they died from disease. Slaves frequently caught infections and deadly disease from the inhuman conditions aboard the slave vessels. Slaver aboard the ships carrying the slaves kept them on the bottom of the ship chained up, and under nourished.

Therefore in order for slavers the to get the largest profit for their slaves, it was common to throw the dead and or dying slaves overboard still in their chains. Causing them to drown or to be eaten by the sea creatures, and the sea gulls flying above, in order to collect the insurances it has been said that what the slavers did was so horrible that it was beyond the reality of most humans. The cruelty Of the slaver’s actions is beyond the comprehension a normal person. J.M.W. Turner’s the paint of the slave ship is intended to show of inhuman treatment of the slave trade movement. His painting reveals just how cold hearted the slaves were, by showing what really happened out at sea.

The harshness of storm indicates that nature is superior over humans. The blue color puts emphasis on nature and shows it’s superiority over man, it also give the impression of real emotion. The storm shows nature’s dominance over man.

Horror is indicate in the painting