16 Jul 2010
John Rudyerd was then commissioned by Captain (later Colonel) John Lovett - who held the lease - to design a new lighthouse, which was built as a conical wooden structure around a core of brick and concrete. It was first lit in 1709 and lasted until burnt down in 1755, after a spark from one of the candles used to illuminate it set fire to the top of the lantern.
Rudyerd's Eddystone Lighthouse became the first successful offshore-rock lighthouse in the world. Sailmaker's view includes four war ships identified by Lovett in 1708 as the Roebuck 42 guns, on the left, together with the Charles Galley, 36 guns, the Swallow, 32 guns and the ketch Aldborough, 24 guns, on the right. All these attended on the construction of the lighthouse, while those beyond bear the flags of the countries who contributed financially to the project. Plymouth harbour is visible in the background.
The National Maritime Museum acquired the oil painting of Rudyerd's Eddystone Lighthouse by Isaac Sailmaker (1633-1721) in 2000, with major grants from the Macpherson Fund of the Society for Nautical Research, the Art Fund and its own Friends organization. The painting is important for its subject and for the artist. Sailmaker was a contemporary of William van de Velde the Younger and, like him, a Dutch immigrant who came to work in England before 1710. He is now known to have done four versions of this painting for Lovett but this one proved important in identifying his artistic hand, when it was first lent to the Museum in 1971. Until then there was no clearly documented painting by Sailmaker, who did not generally sign his work. An engraving of one of his Eddystone versions, naming him as artist, was published in 1733, proving the subject was by him and allowing firmer identification of other compositions hitherto only thought to be. In 1991 the owner took back the one lent to the Museum, however, and it was only after his death that we were able to acquire it permanently.
The painting is in oil medium on a linen canvas support measuring 1240mm x 1006mm. Overall it is in good condition, the original paint having been quite smoothly applied with a little impasto in the clouds and waves. The craqueleure is fine and even.
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This photo shows it before conservation treatment. Paintings are always photographed and their condition documented before any work is undertaken.
The natural resin varnish layers, which were originally clear, had become very discoloured over time. The surface was also dirty, probably with soot from candles or an open fire, which obscured the colours and detail. In addition, the paint layers were loose and flaking in some areas, which can be caused by changes in the environment as high humidity or dry conditions make the canvas relax or tighten. This movement can eventually weaken the adhesion of the paint to the canvas, making it loose and, at worst, starting to fall off.
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It is important that these weak areas are consolidated before any further treatment is undertaken. This photograph shows small pieces of tissue which have been impregnated with a suitable adhesive and laid over the loose areas of paint. A temperature-controlled heated spatula is used to gently warm the adhesive and reattach the flaking paint. The areas of tissue are then removed.
When the paint layers are stable the surface dirt can be removed. This is the layer of pollutants that lie on top of the varnish layer. The dirt can be nicotine, soot or straightforward environmental grime.
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The natural resin varnish layers themselves can also be removed without damaging the original paint layer below. This photo shows a detail of the lighthouse during cleaning. Since most pictures of this age have been cleaned in previous centuries, by harsher methods than used today, the paint layers here show slight wear but the ships' rigging is in good condition.
After the painting has been cleaned a synthetic varnish is applied with a brush, before final retouching, to protect the original paint. This is a specially made conservation varnish, which will not discolour and will remain easy to remove with a mild solvent.. Small areas of damage are then retouched with the same resin and dry pigment.
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The final photograph shows the painting after conservation treatment has been completed.
The painting has now been reframed, glazed with low-reflect glass and the back of the frame fitted with a sealed backboard. This will protect the painting from climate changes and from dirt in the atmosphere, and will ensure that it looks as fresh in 100 years as it does today
The picture has been requested for loan to Chatham Historic Dockyard for display, in their new exhibition gallery in the No 1 Smithery, where most of the Museum's ship models will also be rehoused later this year in a joint project with the Dockyard and the Imperial War Museum. The gallery will open to the public on 20 July 2010.