The Painted Hall
Subtitle: Sir James Thornhill's masterpiece at Greenwich
By: Anya Lucas, Richard Johns, Sophie Stewart & Stephen Paine ; preface by William Palin
Contributors: Johns, Richard, 1973- author; Stewart, Sophie, author; Paine, Stephen, 1954- author
Publisher: Merrell; Old Royal Naval College
Published: 2019
Place of publication: London; New York; Greenwich
Language: eng
Number of pages: 158
ISBN-13: 9781858946795; 9781858946801
Copyright date: 2019
Subjects: Criticism and interpretation; Mural painting and decoration; Conservation and restoration; Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich
Description: Published to mark the reopening of the spectacular baroque interior of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich after a landmark conservation project, 'The Painted Hall' is a wonderful celebration of what has been called "the Sistine Chapel of the UK". The ceiling and wall decorations of the Painted Hall were conceived and executed by the artist Sir James Thornhill between 1707 and 1726 - years that witnessed the Act of Union during the reign of Queen Anne and Great Britain's rise to become a dominant Protestant power in a predominantly Catholic Europe. The accessions to the throne of William III and Mary II in 1688 and George I in 1714 form the central narrative of a scheme that also honours Britain's maritime successes and mercantile prosperity. The artist drew on a cast of around 200 figures - a mixture of historical, contemporary, allegorical and mythological characters - to tell a story of political change, scientific and cultural achievements, naval endeavours, and commercial enterprise against a series of magnificent backdrops.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.