NMRN figureheads: New Project
Orbis are excited to welcome the arrival of 3 figureheads from the National Museum of the Royal Navy to the studio for conservation treatment. HMS Martin, Seaflower and Queen Charlotte will receive a comprehensive conservation treatment, beginning with sonic tomography and laser scanning. Queen Charlotte is the largest of the 3, weighing 500kg and colossal in scale, whereas Martin and Seaflower are a near matching pair weighed under 100 kgs each and ¾ life-size in scale.
Orbis pioneered the use of sonic tomography in 2017 on a collection of large figureheads also owned by NMRN, but on loan to Plymouth City Council. This analytical technique allows us to understand the internal condition of the timber of the figureheads without the need for interventive analysis. Through measuring the speed at which sound waves travel through the timber of the figureheads, colour coded maps (tomograms) are created that visually describe the structural integrity of the timber.
3D scanning will also aid the design of the mount and mounting process for each figurehead, enabling us to the calculate centre of gravity and template the steelwork. The scans will also help the exhibition designers plan the final installation location.
All 3 of the figureheads have historically been displayed outside – Martin and Seaflower in the niches of a building and Queen Charlotte on a Navy parade ground – so it is likely that the timber will have been subjected to high amounts of rain water. The paint surface of all the figureheads is in poor condition, and certainly not original, so a full reintegration of the paint scheme will also be undertaken following paint analysis.
The first phase of the physical treatment will be the removal of the current paint schemes. This is a laborious process, but essential for revealing the intricate carving of the sculptures and for informing the condition of the timber surface. Any poor-quality repairs that are revealed will be replaced using like for like timber, and cracks and other losses will be examined for structural integrity and then filled.
We look forward to sharing the progress of the project and discovering all we can about these wonderful objects…
