GREENWICH.- Royal Museums Greenwich launched an urgent crowdfunding campaign through Art Happens with Art Fund on Wednesday 16 February, in a bid to save the largest tapestry in its collection.
The Burning of the Royal James at the Battle of Solebay, 28 May 1672, is the only remaining Solebay Tapestry in the collection at the Queen’s House, Greenwich, where the original cartoons were first imagined. It was designed by father and son team, Willem Van de Velde the Elder and Younger, and almost certainly drawn out at the request of Charles II in their studio at the Queen’s House. It will be one of the key objects in the 2023 exhibition marking 350 years since the Van de Veldes’ arrival in England, opening in February 2023.
The Van de Veldes were two of the most sought-after marine artists in seventeenth century Europe. They were contemporaries of Rembrandt in the Dutch Republic, and received commissions from Cosimo de Medici and Charles II, who awarded them a salary equivalent to that of Anthony van Dyck. They are considered the founders of English marine painting and inspired the work of J.M.W. Turner. The National Maritime Museum has the largest collection of Van de Veldes’ artwork in the world.
The Burning of the Royal James was commissioned by Charles II and James, Duke of York, as part of a series to commemorate the Battle of Solebay, a naval battle fought off the coast of Suffolk on 28 May 1672. It was the first battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War and ended with both sides claiming victory. It was also the final naval battle fought by James, Duke of York, later James II.
This monumental tapestry depicts the dramatic climax of the battle. The Royal James ship is engulfed in flames having been set alight by Dutch fireships, an attack which led to the death of Edward Montagu, the 1st Earl of Sandwich. This itself is of historic significance, as it is a rare example of a tapestry depicting a contemporary event. The series of tapestries designed to commemorate the Battle of Solebay are the only known examples of seventeenth century English tapestries showing a naval battle. It is also such an important part of the RMG collection that it was prominently displayed behind George VI during his speech at the opening of the National Maritime Museum in 1937.
However, the tapestry is now in such a fragile condition that it has been unable to be displayed for twenty-two years. Fading dyes and light damage to the silk and wool have muted the originally vibrant colours and obscured the fine craftmanship that allowed a naval battle to be fought in silk. Its age, size and large expanses of silk weft also add to its structural instability. It is in urgent need of conservation if it is to be ready for the 2023 exhibition, where it will go on display in the King’s Presence Chamber at the Queen’s House.
Royal Museums Greenwich’s crowdfunding campaign through Art Happens with Art Fund aims to raise £15,000 towards the conservation of The Burning of the Royal James.
The first phase of the conservation project was completed in 2021. The tapestry was sent to De Wit Royal Manufacturers’ innovative aerosol suction cleaning system in Belgium, designed especially for historic tapestries and large-scale textiles such as this. The cleaning process allowed for conservators to assess the extent of the damage.
The crowdfunding will go towards the completion of the project, preserving the remarkable tapestry and allowing it to return to the place it was originally designed. The Art Happens platform goes live on Wednesday 16 February, offering a one-month window to save the Solebay Tapestry.
