I can remember clearly watching on TV as the Mary Rose was lifted from the sea bed in 1982.
She had been Henry VIII's gunship. Built in 1510, she survived many battles before being sunk in the Solent. There's not a huge amount of her left, but the basic bones of her hull, and part of the port side, are now for all to see in her home town of Portsmouth.
The Swedish ship The Vasa was built about a century later in 1627. She was a magnificent three masted galleon, and was the finest ship of her type ever to have been built. Her stern (below) was awash with carving, which was originally painted in polychrome. It is hardly believable, these days, to think of such attention to detail. She must have been a magnificent sight when launched.
Sadly she sank after just one mile at sea on her maiden voyage, and managed to remain intact beneath the waves until 1961, when she was raised and carefully restored.
She had been poorly designed and was top-heavy, a sudden gust of wind had caught her sails, and she tipped to one side and sunk. She is on view in Stockholm, and as one of Sweden's major National Treasures, she attracts huge amounts of visitors.
98% of the ship now on view is original. The sinking, the raising, the preservation, and the ship itself, are all quite extraordinary. I haven't been to see her myself (I haven't even visited Sweden), but I recommend anyone going to Stockholm to visit. She must be an amazing sight; just looking at the above photo fills me with admiration.
The Mary Rose may be Britain's equivalent of The Vasa, but there is very little aesthetic similarity.
33 comments:
It’s very “ busy”
I hope 'busy' is a synonym for 'spectacular'.
Was it a case of form over function when she was built?
I believe that was partly to blame. All the carving weighed a huge amount, the keel was too flat, and she was too tall. What a terrible shame.
What a stunning but not fit for purpose work of art.
I remember visiting the VASA in Stockholm in the 60's.It really was very impressive.
You can imagine the horror in the shipyard, when she sunk!
Lucky you. I'd love to see it.
It's an amazing sight and they are only now starting to discover just how vividly it was painted. The idea was that Vasa was to be greater than any ship ever built at that time - she was both meant as a floating work of art and a formidable weapon of war. The king himself dictated the Vasa's measurements (no one dared argue against him). I gather the Dutch ship designers had reservations, but nobody said a word. It is said that a total of 40 acres of timber (mostly oak) was used to build her (and I can well believe it).
I'm sure it was awe inspiring to see her in full sail, even if the maiden voyage was only less than a nautical mile.
It's very much worth seeing if you are ever in Stockholm. I've seen replica ships before when I visited the Dutch East Indiaman Amsterdam at Scheepvaartmuseum in Holland and the Cutty Sark at Greenwich in London a few years ago. Both of those were impressive, but nothing on the scale and magnificence of Vasa. And Vasa is not a replica. She is the original ship - almost 400 years old.
I had not heard about the "Vasa" before. Thanks for posting about it. I am surprised to hear that you have never been to Lady Magnon's homeland. It is not too late to plan a trip there. You could see the "Vasa" with your own eyes.
I've never heard of the Bass. Very interesting history. Pity all that beautiful carving sink to the seabed.
The carving is amazing. Incredible it survived so well after all that time.
Yes, 98% of her is original. Amazing that she survived so well. I suppose we have to thank the fact that she sank when, and how, she did for her good condition.
My youngest son's wife is Swedish too! We still have relations there, but mostly in Norway.
Not only an amazing ship, but an equally amazing story!
Imagine what it was like all painted; it must have been magnificent.
Stunning. Those carvers must have been crying their eyes out when it went down!
After all that pure craftsmanship, it must have been heart-breaking.
The Vasa is magnificent.
I love to see extraordinary craftmanship. I also like to see craftmanship that is NOT so very extraordinary. There is something very moving to me to see an old cradle done with such care to detail, or an intricate embroidery, or even a wooden spoon with a carved handle. People, even ordinary people, needed to have beauty, to create beauty. That is very moving to me to consider hands working for hours for no other reason than creating something functional AND beautiful.
I just looked it up and it says the ship was designed to carry 32 brass guns and 64 had been fitted which is where much of the weight came from that toppled it over. I gather the Vasa is a well known disaster in the design industry and used to illustrate to students how things can go wrong.
I went to see the Vasa when travelling in the 1980s. I've just been showing your post to my husband as I've described my visit to see it as a teenager all those years ago from time to time.
The detailed carving shown on Vasa's stern makes it an unsurpassed work of art. As a 3 masted vessel at 226 feet it definitely had insufficient ballast. With insufficient ballast, wind causes too much heel and then capsize. I can imagine the horror of seeing the ship sink at launch. (I've added Vasa and sailing to my travel bucket list. Must see!)
My son visited Sweden with an orchestra when in his teens forty years ago and he saw the Vasa - brought me back a copy of a vase from it - I have it still.
Nothing was too much for early craftsmen; one only has to look at our ancient cathedrals to see to what lengths they would go.
Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Isn't that Murphey's Law?
I hope you've now whetted his appetite, and he'll soon be booking a trip.
Not unlike being on the Titanic. I'm sure they all thought it would be sailing for ever.
I believe everything was still there, from crockery to knives and forks, shoes, clothing, etc. It must have been wonderful diving on it for it's raising.
Now there's an amazing story! I'd not heard of the Vasa, although I'd heard of the Vasa Tiara :)
Galleons are magnificent and always make me think of pirates and treasure. I'm glad to hear of one that didn't disintegrate while sunk and is now restored.
It's a shocking story, but, I suppose, with an interesting end. It is still there for all to see.
And in such good condition after all those years. Amazing.
I got to see the Vasa about 20 years ago. I had not heard of it before going to Sweden but it was very interesting and impressive. I think because it sunk in cold Northern waters the wood worm did not cause damage to it.
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