Conserving the Four Graces statues for future generations 

Cleaning and conservation of The Four Graces statues, located in wall niches in the vestibule of the Chapel of St Peter & St Paul at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, commenced on Monday 2 September.  

The Old Royal Naval College was formerly the Royal Hospital for Seamen. The interior of its Chapel was gutted by a disastrous fire in 1779 and was subsequently rebuilt to designs by the architect James (Athenian) Stuart.  

The Four Graces were part of the new scheme for the Chapel and were based on designs by the British-American artist Benjamin West. West was also responsible for the painted altarpiece in the Chapel, ‘The Preservation of St Paul after a Shipwreck at Malta’, itself conserved in 2022. 

The statues were made of Coade stone at Eleanor Coade’s factory at Lambeth. Coade stone was a hard-wearing and easy-to-work artificial stone offering new opportunities for fine-detailed decoration and was used for neoclassical works across the UK. Other examples of Coade stone can be found at the Old Royal Naval College site, including the Nelson Pediment in the King William Courtyard (also designed by Benjamin West). Eleanor Coade was a very successful businesswoman and is one of the few women acknowledged as a major influence on 18th-century decoration and architecture.  

The modelling of the statues at the Coade factory may have been carried out by the well-respected British sculptor John Bacon, whose work can also be seen at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London. Bacon appears to have supervised many of the major commissions at the Coade factory for more than 25 years.   

The life-sized Coade stone statues represent the virtues: ‘Faith,’ ‘Meekness,’, ‘Charity’ and ‘Hope’. The Four Graces reflect qualities that all Christians are called to cultivate, both in themselves and in their relationship to others. 

Robert Tobin, Chaplain at Chapel of St Peter & St Paul, said: “Located as they are at the Chapel entrance, these statues have long served to focus the minds and hearts of all who come here seeking renewal and inspiration.  Their refurbishment is a visible sign of the Chapel’s continuing vitality as a place of worship and learning.” 

Mark Hosea, Director of Estates and Conservation at the Old Royal Naval College, said: “Conservation work will help restore the plinths to their original 18th century presentation and prevent further deterioration. The project is guided by historical research to ensure that the statues are displayed in a way that aligns with the original artistic and symbolic intentions of their makers.” 

Sir Nicolas Bevan, Chairman of the Trustees of the Chapel Fund, said: “This project will make a major improvement to the appearance of the Ante-Chapel and the Trustees are pleased to have been able, on behalf of the Chapel congregation, to provide the funds needed to pay for it.” 

The statues and their pedestals may previously have been painted to resemble stone or marble. Photographs taken in 1917 show that the pedestals featured darker colours and inscriptions naming each virtue along with biblical quotations and references. However, work carried out in the 1950s removed the names of the virtues and the biblical references, retaining only the biblical inscriptions. This change was probably an aesthetic decision and possibly influenced by the feeling that the quality of ‘meekness’ was not appropriate for a Royal Navy training establishment. 

The current conservation project will involve removing the marbled paint finish from the pedestals of The Four Graces and restoring them to their earlier design. This change is prompted by the current paint’s damaged and peeling condition, which has exposed the underlying brown layers. The marbled scheme on the plinths, dating from the 1950s, differs significantly from the earlier design. The statues will also be cleaned to remove accumulated dust, preventing potential staining of their surfaces.

The Old Royal Naval College is acclaimed for its sustainable conservation. Our mission is to enrich people’s lives by protecting this architectural masterpiece and sharing its history, heritage and significance. 

This vital conservation work has been made possible through a major donation to the Old Royal Naval College from the Chapel Fund, which represents the kind generosity of the congregation at the Chapel of St Peter & St Paul.  

You can view The Four Graces in the vestibule of the Chapel of St Peter & St Paul, open daily to everyone from 10am to 5pm as a place of meditation and prayer. Free entry. Conservation works will be taking place from 2 September until 20 September, during which time the statues may be partially covered.

As a charity we rely on the generosity of the public to protect some of the nation’s finest art and architecture and share its significance widely.

Support our work to conserve and share our historic site with all.