Old Royal Naval College Painted Hall virtual tour

While many museums are shuttered due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Apollo’s usual weekly pick of exhibitions will include shows at institutions that are now reopening as well as digital projects providing virtual access to art and culture.

The baroque masterpiece that is the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich is sometimes described as this country’s ‘Sistine Chapel’. Designed and executed by James Thornhill between 1707 and 1726, the elaborate painting scheme covers 40,000 square feet (for which Thornhill was paid at a rate of £1 per yard of wall, and £3 per yard of ceiling). That’s why the 360-degree virtual tour – created to coincide with the reopening of the Painted Hall in 2019 following a two-year restoration – is so valuable: you can zoom in on every minutely considered detail, from the donor boards bearing the names of those who funded the former hospital to the royal portraits adorning its walls. There’s also a high-resolution photograph of the ceiling in the central (lower) hall, for those who want an even close look. Take the virtual tour here.

Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here