When You Need a Good Pilot: ‘Love Steering the Boat of Humanity’

Works of art that tell us about life

Compassion is the best pilot to guide us through life. “Love Steering the Boat of Humanity,” 1899–1901, by George Frederic Watts. Oil on canvas, 6 1/2 feet by 4 1/3 feet. Gift of Mrs. Michael Chapman (1946), Watts Gallery. (Public Domain)

It can be very dangerous to row a small boat on the high seas, especially as a storm approaches. The air becomes thick and sultry. Dense, dark thunderclouds press overhead, fierce gusts rip the sail, and high waves threaten to sink the boat. Only an experienced pilot could maneuver a small boat through a big storm.

And who said it better than Emily Dickinson in “Adrift! A little boat adrift!”:

ADRIFT! A little boat adrift! And night is coming down! Will no one guide a little boat Unto the nearest town?

So sailors say, on yesterday, Just as the dusk was brown, One little boat gave up its strife, And gurgled down and down.

But angels say, on yesterday, Just as the dawn was red, One little boat o’erspent with gales Retrimmed its masts, redecked its sails Exultant, onward sped!

George Frederic Watts (1817–1904) created this dangerous situation in his painting “Love Steering the Boat of Humanity.” The artist personified love as a stalwart pilot taking charge of the boat carrying a man, representing humanity, through the churning water. The waves appear alive as they seem to grasp at the little vessel, trying to bring it down to the depths. 

The boat’s small sail has been ripped from the mast. It flutters heavily back and forth unfettered, almost covering the helpless figure of humanity as he holds the rowing paddles. Although his hands hold the oars, his efforts don’t help much as the wind and the waves control the direction.

The sky above is almost covered by billowing thunderclouds, ominously high, quickly covering up the remaining patches of blue. At the stern of the boat, the pilot shows his determination as the wind does not seem to move him from the direction wherein he is steering. Only his strength keeps the vessel afloat and on course.

Compassion is the best pilot to guide us through life. “Love Steering the Boat of Humanity,” 1899–1901, by George Frederic Watts. Oil on canvas, 6 1/2 feet by 4 1/3 feet. Gift of Mrs. Michael Chapman (1946), Watts Gallery, Compton, UK. (Public Domain)

Guided by Compassion

Perhaps humanity has lost its way on the high seas of life. Without kindness to guide us, we cannot find a safe harbor. Watts tells us in the painting’s title that humanity is guided by love through the rough seas of life. Love—or on a higher level, compassion—offers the seafarers of life the unconditional spirit of helpfulness, generosity, and determination. This compassion is a simple but vital gesture.

The pilot has shown humanity what kindness and determination can do for the soul. Perhaps when humanity reaches his destination, he will remember the selfless act of a skilled pilot and do the same for others if given the opportunity. A blog on the Harvard Medical School website encapsulates this nicely: “When we are compassionate, we are recognizing our shared human condition.”

To offer compassion to others is simple, free, positive, and healthy. When guided by compassion, we are no longer alone in this dangerous situation. Humanity then has a good chance to make it through the storm of suffering to a safe harbor.

Watts is known for painting a series of allegorical works personifying universal emotions that he wanted to be seen together. The series is called the “House of Life.”