HMS Victory paint colours

[davyboy]

Hi all,read this article today,may well be of interest to some of our members. I would imagine some more research will have to be carried out though.

 

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2583165/nelsons

 

Regards,

 

Dave                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

[demonborger]

Makes it sound like the interior details were a light blue, and that the outer hull had a more of a cream colour than orange during Trafalgar era. Possibly being mostly black prior to the rebuild? Something like that... I wish there was an officially released document into the findngs available rather than a journalist piece.

[trippwj]

While not directly related, you may want to take a look at the recent (August, 2013) report by Peter Goodwin in The Mariners Mirror - The Application and Scheme of Paintworks in British Men-of-War in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries (Volume 99:3, pages 287-300)

 

The abstract:

The question of the authenticity of the colour scheme for the preserved HMS Victory has been the subject of some debate. This article uses historical evidence and technical analysis of paint samples to draw conclusions about the external and internal appearance of HMS Victory and other ships of this time in both the British and French navies. An investigation of a carpenter's account book from 1805 has revealed some interesting evidence on the use of paint aboard ship. Finally the author makes recommendations for possible improvements in the paint scheme for HMS Victory that will be more historically accurate.

 

The article can be purchased at http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rmir20/99/3#.UyhlCc4-dbQ

[trippwj]

Good morning, Robin.  I think it means that your library or institution would need an online subscription to the journal for you to be able to log in through them.  I do not know which libraries/universities have that access - you would need to check with the ones you have access to and see if they can get it for you.  You may be able to get a copy via Mr. Goodwin.  I have tried to access it for download as a member of the SNR (publisher of the Mariners Mirror) but it is apparently not yet available for download.  The only option is to pay $39 USD to download from the website above.

 

I unfortunately do not have ready access to a flat surface scanner otherwise I would scan it for you.

[Izzy Madd]

Makes it sound like the interior details were a light blue, and that the outer hull had a more of a cream colour than orange during Trafalgar era. Possibly being mostly black prior to the rebuild? Something like that... I wish there was an officially released document into the findngs available rather than a journalist piece.

Not meaning to fly before Ivan crawl but there are several issues not much mentioned about this colour revaluation. Now please don't think I'm saying this is what happened. I'm not. But if the original was dark shall we say. Then what ever was put over it had to cause the underlying layer(s) to bleed through some what. As would all subsequent layers. As the paint would have dried from the outside in then once the top surface was dry. The solvents had only one way to go, in. And doing so drawing some at least chemicals through with it.

 

Then there is the issue of sun bleaching before reprinting. Not to mention sea water. As we've all seen the "trendy" New England washed out colour schemes. And the fact that high quality paints. Which would have been used especially when the masthead was found to be rotten. Would have turned darker as they oxidised not lighter. And now the scientists are looking at a fresh, mixed, unoxidised, mish mash of colours edge on so not even the original surfaces. And saying this is what she looked like.

 

Basically it's impossible to really know. Even the oil paintings of the day which took around 75 to dry fully have changed colour. As is seen by the fact that photos are banned on a lot of valuble paintings. BECAUSE TIME AND LIGHT CHANGE THE TRUE COLOURS. And what has the old lady had more than her fair share of. Time and light. And cut price bodge ups as well as high priced "restorations". All of which have been subject to the bloke who mixes the paint that day. And as anyone who's had paint mixed will say. "That's not the colour I wanted. It'll do". And with the amount of paint involved no way could they just nip to the 1805 equivalent of B&Q. For a few tins of magnolia :-).

 

And one last thing what is the image we all know so well. Unless someone has a time machine and a death wish to nip back to 1805 in the middle of the sea surrounded by a cloud of lead we will never know. And so it's what is liked that matters not what someone 200 years ago had going cheap of the back of a cart.‽