The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, gets its name from the flamboyant baroque imagery that covers 40,000 square feet of its interior walls and ceilings. Designed by Sir James Thornhill, the paintings were executed from 1707 to 1726 under the patronage first of Queen Anne and later King George I who knighted Thornhill for his efforts.
When the ceiling recently underwent a major two-year restoration, I was able to visit the site to view the work up close. From the enormous scaffolding that filled the entire hall it was possible to see details that would not normally be easily visible. What particularly caught my attention were several depictions of the type of drawing instruments in use at the time. These tools would have been familiar to Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of the Royal Naval College buildings, a trompe l’oeil elevational drawing of which is included in the ceiling painting.
Surrounding this drawing are several examples of compasses, squares and rules, as might be found in an early 18th century drawing set. At top left, a putto holds what is clearly a pair of brass globe-head dividers.
In its other hand is wielded a large brass square with graduated bevel edges and chamfered ends.
Tucked beneath the drawing is another brass (or gilt?) compass with a more modern long-jointed head and curved finger recesses, accompanied by a plain rule in brass, or possibly boxwood, with basic divisions across the full width of its face. A number of other scientific and nautical instruments can be found at different parts of the ceiling, representing the latest technological advances of the time.
A little-known gem that is often missed by tourists, the Painted Hall is well worth a visit when in London.
