The Mariner's Brush: The Life and Legacy of Jack Spurling To understand the soul of Jack Spurling’s art, one must first understand the salt spray and the creaking timber of the London docks where his journey began. Born on December 12, 1870, John Robert Charles Spurling was a man whose identity was inextricably linked to the sea. The son of an importer, he grew up amidst the bustling maritime commerce of England, finding solace in ske…