30 year mystery solved as Bristol Hippodrome rediscovers long lost original sand painting
After 30 years, a long forgotten artwork was found at Bristol Hippodrome during a recent maintenance work.
The piece is one of two striking sand portraits depicting a ship (believed to be The Matthew), which were proudly displayed in Bristol Hippodrome’s foyer when it first opened its doors in 1912.
The portraits remained there until the 1980s, when they were relocated to other areas of the building.
While one of the portraits found a home in the theatre’s Cary Grant Bar, the second seemingly vanished, with its whereabouts unknown for over 30 years until yesterday (January 22).
The item was found safely tucked behind an old shelving unit by Maintenance Supervisor Craig during maintenance work.
Kyle Pyrke, who runs the Bristol Hippodrome historic tours said: “After losing them in the numerous changes that have taken place at the Bristol Hippodrome over the years, it’s an incredible moment to rediscover the other sand image.
“The attention to detail, the numerous batches of handdyed sand, as well as the slightly different design. It really shows the level of expertise required to create these wonderful pieces of art.
“It will be an absolute joy to bring these two pieces back together, just as they were always intended to be viewed.
“And for those who have been on our tours before, we can finally put to rest the rumours that because I’ve always loved this art, that I stole the other one!”
This mark’s a memorable moment for the theatre team and a significant find for the venue’s heritage.
The Bristol Hippodrome now plans to carefully remove the portrait from the wall and assess the best location for it to be displayed, allowing audiences and visitors to once again enjoy a piece of the theatre’s rich past.