Save Solebay
Thanks to you, the Solebay Tapestry will be conserved for the next generation to enjoy. We are humbled and amazed by the record-breaking response and thanks to you the future of the tapestry is secure.
What next?
Well, we can now begin to plan how to present this world-class artwork for everyone to enjoy. It will cost a further £15,000 to display the tapestry within our Van de Velde exhibition in 2023.
The complex logistics of its transportation and display requires several specialist services - including the creation of a completely bespoke hanging system due to its size and fragile nature – for the public to appreciate the full scale of this 6m x 4m masterpiece on the walls of the Queen’s House.
Your additional support will free up vital funds during this challenging time for the Museum.
With government cuts to funding and the financial impact of the pandemic your additional support will ensure this campaign is transformational for Royal Museums Greenwich and the communities we serve.
Weave yourself into history, and become a part of the Solebay story. We can’t wait to celebrate with you in 2023.
Willem Van de Velde the Elder and his son Van de Velde the Younger were the most famous maritime artists of the 17th century. They were proto photojournalists, who sailed into naval battles, sketching and recording the events as they happened. These sketches were later work up into paintings back on land.
The Solebay tapestry depicts the climax of the Battle of Solebay – a naval battle that occurred in May 1672. It is prized for its intricate details, from burning ships to churning waves.
Commissioned by King Charles II in the 17th century, it is part of the only surviving English naval tapestry series.
This dramatic tapestry is the largest work of its kind in our collection, and we are excited to finally be able to bring it back to the Queen's House where it was first designed.
The artwork is in a fragile state. Due to its age, weight and high silk content the tapestry’s structure is incredibly weak. It is currently too delicate to go on public display.
With your help we will be able to conserve the tapestry so that it can be displayed in a unique exhibition exploring the Van de Veldes' artistic work in Greenwich, and celebrating the birth of maritime art in Britain.
This is your chance to support this important piece of history. Help us #SaveSolebay!
Latest updates (10)
March 2023
See the tapestry on display for free
Thanks to your generous support, the Solebay tapestry has undergone extensive conservation. The tapestry now forms the centrepiece of a new London art exhibition, The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea.
Open now at the Queen’s House, this free show explores the life and work of the Dutch artists Willem van de Velde the Elder and his son Willem van de Velde the Younger.
Click here to watch the moment the Solebay tapestry was installed in the Queen’s House
Due to its age, size and high silk content, the 17th century tapestry was incredibly weak. To prepare it for display, the maritime masterpiece needed specialist treatment at Zenzie Tinker Conservation, a leading conservation studio in Brighton.
“I think we’re up to nearly 4,000 hours of work, so it’s been a long process,” explains textile conservator Zenzie Tinker. “It does feel like a real privilege to have been part of bringing the tapestry back to life.”
Click here to read more about the tapestry’s conservation process
The Van de Veldes were regarded as the leading marine artists of the 17th century. King Charles II took a particular interest in the father-son duo and offered them an annual salary and a studio at the Queen’s House in Greenwich.
Here, the Van de Veldes created magnificent paintings, detailed sketches – and the designs for the Solebay tapestry.
The tapestry was based on eyewitness drawings made by Van de Velde the Elder at the Battle of Solebay, an inconclusive naval conflict between a Dutch fleet and a combined force of English and French ships that took place in May 1672.
The Solebay tapestry is part of a series of giant tapestries that depict the course of the conflict.
Click here to find out more about the Van de Veldes
Because of your generous support, this monumental artwork has been conserved for future generations.
“Bringing the tapestry back to the space where it was designed is really exciting for us,” says Imogen Tedbury, Curator of Art (pre-1800) at Royal Museums Greenwich.
The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea is open at the Queen’s House until 14 January 2024
May 2022
Follow the Solebay tapestry's conservation journey on the 350th anniversary of the eponymous battle
On this day 350 years ago, a naval battle raged off the coast of Southwold Bay in Suffolk, between a Dutch fleet and a combined force of English and French ships.
Known as the Battle of Solebay, the conflict was immortalised in the Solebay tapestry, the largest tapestry in Royal Museums Greenwich’s collection. The work was originally part of a series of giant tapestries commissioned by Charles II.
Thanks to your generous support, the tapestry has been saved for future generations. It will go on display in our landmark exhibition, The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea at the Queen’s House in Greenwich in 2023.
On the anniversary of the battle, we go behind the scenes to share the latest on the tapestry’s conservation.
Click here to find out more about the exhibition
Recent work at Zenzie Tinker Conservation studio in Brighton has involved adding new warp threads to the tapestry. These strong, structural threads have been inserted to repair historic damage caused by a line of nail holes, which once fixed the tapestry to the corner of a room.
The team are well underway with the stitching. They are currently working on the tapestry’s expanse of sea, adding stitches to support the weak areas of silk, without disrupting the detail of the waves and ripples.
Important elements of the tapestry’s design will also be revived, such as the rigging of the ships’ sails.
Once the stitching is complete, the team will make the final touches, from securing the lining to attaching a strip of contact fastener so the tapestry can be safely hung and displayed.
Click here to watch the conservators at work on this monumental artwork
We have also begun work on producing rewards for donors who chose one.
All rewards are bespoke and exclusive to the project and campaign. This means that they can take a little while to create. We are currently working with Art Fund and their suppliers and we will share more news about when rewards will be ready to send out to you. Please keep an eye out for updates.
If your reward is an event experience, a member of our team will be in touch with a date once this has been confirmed. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
Keep an eye on this page and Royal Museums Greenwich's social media channels for exclusive updates: find us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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With thanks to...
A big thank you to all project backers. You made art happen.