Battle of Trafalgar, National Maritime Museum
-
![Four men dressed in black stand by a Turner's Battle of Trafalgar painting, which is packaged and leaning against an outdoor wall. Two of the men are standing on ladders removing the packaging.]()
A new exploration of a national treasure in a dedicated purpose built gallery.
Turner's Battle of Trafalgar gallery at the National Maritime Museum, painted 1805, gallery opened 2015.
-
![A black wall printed with gold and silver motifs. In the centre, two text panels are titled “the Line of Truth” in gold and “The Human Cost of Battle” in silver, with various quotes beneath them.]()
We were commissioned in 2014 to provide interpretation and audio-visual design for JMW Turner’s painting, Battle of Trafalgar (1805), which is displayed in a new permanent gallery at the National Maritime Museum.
The exhibition explored two angles of the painting - the human cost of battle, and the post-war triumphalism following Nelson's victory. Photography by Magnum.
-
![A close up of repeated motifs in squares of different sizes, including a figure with a trumpet, circular lines, a cross and a crown. The background is black and the motifs are printed in glittering silver and gold.]()
The exhibition was presented as a dual narrative that brought together these two curatorial perspectives. This resulted in a duotone colour scheme – gold to represent national celebration, silver to reflect the metal of guns and armories. Displayed artefacts also reflected this duality.
-
![A painting of a ship in a gilded frame in a dark room. To the left, the painting is reflected in a glass showcase. Inside the showcase are four ceramic pieces suspended from a central mount, including a bowl, teapot and tankard.]()
Close attention was paid to lighting the painting to satisfy conservation requirements and complement the theatrical presentation and visitor journey. Seating opposite the painting evoked a cinematic feel. Audio interpretation from the curators played out as a dialogue in the space at timed intervals.
-
![A person touches a tactile image of The Battle of Trafalgar in a printed booklet, in front of the painting itself. The booklet is accompanied by braille and a large print guide.]()
A large print and braille guide with tactile reproduction of the painting was available in-gallery. We also commissioned BSL interpretation, which was displayed on a small screen to the right of the painting.
-
![A close up of the trigger of a wooden long-barrelled gun, with a series of polished metal fittings. The word “tower” and a crown symbol are etched in the metal. Behind the gun are out-of-focus motifs of crowns and circular lines.]()
We developed graphic motifs that drew from details on the displayed artefacts. A crown on the barrel of this bayonet was used as a repeating icon in the background of the displays.
-
![A white ceramic tankard in a glass showcase mounted on a pole with out-of-focus patterns behind it. The tankard features a painting of a man in an oval frame with an angel above him, flanked by ships and two flags.]()
Bespoke mounts for the ceramic displays gave them a sense of floating in space.
