In “When Christian Burned the Bounty,” famed illustrator William Henry Dethlef Koerner tells the story of Master's Mate Fletcher Christian’s last-ditch effort to escape the British for his mutinous act.
It’s what you do not see in the picture that creates the drama.
All of the destructive action of burning and sinking the HMS Bounty takes place outside of the frame.
The artist shows us a “reaction shot” to the HMS Bounty being burned.
This consequential action is witnessed of two members of the Bounty, along with three Polynesian friends.
Honorary midshipman Edward "Ned" Young reaches and points to his immediate left.
Christian with his hands grasping his hips, leans in and, with an apprehensive stare, looks left.
The three Polynesians are depicted as seated since their absolute destiny does not lie with the ship.
Their body positions and postures are highly focused but to a lesser extent.
Yet, all five of Koerner’s subjects are “ looking out.”
They are looking out at the Bounty but also to their future.
By burning the HMS Bounty, Christian surrenders the group to life on the very rock they are standing on, Pitcairn Island. ( Tahiti )
Koerner places the protagonist atop a rocky outcrop surrounded by a turbulent sea and whipping wind to emphasize their isolation and reinforce the precariousness of their situation.
His composition is centered around a pyramidal structure, where a standing Christian is at the pinnacle.
A push-pull compositional tension is also created.
The group looks left. The wind and waves blow right.
Hair and garments fly in the wind.
Koerner’s palette and energetic bravura brush strokes help build drama.
The group has fire in their faces.
The burnt ochre / burnt sienna color of a burning HMS Bounty is reflected in the subjects' faces which emphasizes the gravity of the moment.
This is a heroic epic illustration in the technical and narrative style of N.C. Wyeth, with whom Koerner was personally acquainted. They both studied with Howard Pyle.

When Christian Burned the Bounty", oil on canvas, 1934, signed and dated lower left. An illustration depicting the stranded crew for "Pitcairn's Island", by James Norman Hall & Charles Nordhoff. Appeared in "The Saturday Evening Post", September 29, 1934. Caption: "Young took Christian's arm and pointed out to where the blackened hulk of the ship had lain". Housed in a replica gold cove frame with dusty pink velvet liner, OS: 43 1/2" x 38", SS: 35 3/4" x 30". fine condition.