4th March 2019
A number of maritime paintings from the Maritime Museum’s collection are being conserved as part of the ambitious Hull: Yorkshire Maritime City project, funded by Hull City Council and the National Heritage Lottery Fund.
Painting restoration and conservation specialists Critchlow & Kukkonen have undertaken a survey of over 400 paintings to assess their condition and future conservation requirements.
Following the survey, around 30 paintings have been selected and in need of some TLC. Work to 15 paintings, some dating back to 1800’s, has started and include a large oil painting of the Wilson Line ship SS Consuelo which was the ship which first carried Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel on board to the USA IN 1910 and an oil painting depicting two whalers Swan and Isabella in the Arctic by the Hull painter John Ward.
Some of the delicate work includes surface cleaning, the removal of a number of layers including dust, dirt and varnish using a mixture of solvents, repairing extensive tears and filling in losses to the paint layers.
Philippa Beesley, Conservation and Engagement Officer, said: “This specialist work is being undertaken to ensure the paintings are in the best possible condition to tell their dramatic stories and are ready to be displayed once the museum has received it major refurbishment.”
