Royal Museums Greenwich - Collection Gems

Royal Museums Greenwich, comprising the Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House, offers a unique insight into the exploration of the sea, space and Britain’s position within global history. 

Their collection of over 4 million objects is widely recognised as the finest source of maritime history and art in the world. It features works by artists ranging from Willem van de Velde the Younger (1633 – 1707) to John Everett (1876 – 1949). 

The Royal Museums Greenwich fine art collection contains around 70,000 works. It incorporates oil paintings, prints, drawings, portrait miniatures and sculptures. It spans across continents, cultures and cosmic voids; ranging from the 16^th to the 21^st century. They depict fragments of historical stories surrounding sailing and astronomy, which pieced together form a cohesive illustration of maritime history. 

This can be conveyed through subjects including naval actions, portraits, royal progresses and sketchbooks. A prominent piece within this fine art collection is ‘Greenwich Hospital, seen from the north bank of the Thames (England)' (c. 1752) by Giovanni Antonio Canaletto (1697 – 1768). Alongside this, the museum is home to a wonderful selection of works by artists including William Hodges (1744 – 97) and Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775 – 1851).

The nautical-focused collection is interspersed with various themes, ranging from astrophotography and astronomical charts to scientific subjects. George Stubbs (1724 – 1806) features within the fine art collection. His ‘The Kongouro from New Holland (Kangaroo)’ (1772) is an oil painting commissioned by prominent patron of science and the arts, Sir Joseph Banks (1743 – 1820), following his participation in Captain James Cook’s first British voyage to the Pacific (1768 – 71). This expedition was significant in that it was the first British voyage exclusively devoted to scientific discovery.

This fascinating collection also encompasses over one million ship plans dating back to the early 18th century. This includes the Admiralty Collection, an assortment of approximately 800 plans representing 10,000 ships. This is complemented by a selection of plans for foreign ships and vessels purchased by the Royal Navy. These are predominantly working drawings designed by shipwrights, architects, designers and draughtsmen. 

The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre holds both the Royal Museums Greenwich stored collections and state-of-the-art conservation studios. This rich collection includes a unique collection of photographs by Alan Villiers (1903 – 1982), with 20,000 negatives. Villiers was an eminent author of twenty-five books, photographer, adventurer and Master Mariner from Melbourne, Australia. Following his first sailing adventure, aged only fifteen, he went on to explore every ocean. He sailed on board traditionally rigged vessels, such as the fully-rigged Joseph Conrad.

Alan Villiers became a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum. He was also co-founder of the Museum’s historic photography collection, which documents early 20th century naval history. The Museum additionally houses 150 canisters of film created by Villiers, which detail his travels throughout the 1930s until the 1960s. This footage which is central to the film archive of the National Maritime Museum constructs a niche collection detailing historical sailing. The films, which were shot all over the world, portray a distinctive time in which merchant sailing vessels were quickly declining. Villier’s Sons of Sinbad, for example, illustrates his journey on a traditional Arabian ship called Triumph of Righteousness. This series of images provides a glimpse into the daily lives of the crew sailing this ship.

Bridgeman Images is delighted to be representing this intriguing collection, which illuminates centuries of sailing and astronomy. Blending fine art, drawings, objects, photography and footage, Royal Museums Greenwich is home to a wide-ranging and artistic source of maritime history. 
 

View all images available in our archive from the Royal Museums Greenwich collections.

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