Nick Ellwood | ‘Old John’ a talking portrait – an animation in an augmented reality exhibit, part of the interactive children’s exhibition ‘Mischief & Mayhem’

‘Old John’ a talking portrait – an animation in an augmented reality exhibit, part of the interactive children’s exhibition ‘Mischief & Mayhem’
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
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‘Old John’ is a playful adaptation of a the real Greenwich naval

pensioner John Worley.

John was originally drawn by Sir James Thornhill in 1719 for

the Painted Hall ceiling and can be seen depicted as Old Winter.

He is famous for being the only naval pensioner the ceiling and

also for being one of the most mischievous naval pensioners on

record, regularly noted for his surly nature and for being

drunken and disorderly!

The Old John depicted and animated here is a slightly

(but just slightly!) more welcoming character and he

invites children and visitors to join him in an interactive quiz.