(Above) Captain Ian McNaught of the QE2, Jaap Kroese, chairman of Swan Hunter (Tyneside) Ltd and Councillor Ged Bell, chair of the Tyne & Wear Museums Joint Committee. Courtesy Tyne and Wear Museums

An oil painting by 19th century artist T.M. Hemy has been handed to Newcastle’s Discovery Museum from its home on board the QE2.

The painting shows Mauretania, the largest passenger ship ever built on the Tyne, leaving to sail round Scotland to Liverpool. The painting will return to the North East and will hang alongside a separate painting of the Turbinia in the museum.

Alec Coles, director of Tyne & Wear Museums, said: “It is fantastic that this painting is being loaned to Tyne & Wear Museums – it is by an artist who is important to the region, and it shows one of Tyneside’s proudest ship-building achievements, so it is fitting that it will go on show at Discover Museum where it will be accessible to everyone in the region for free.”

The painting had to be carefully removed from the QE2 by crane. Courtesy Tyne and Wear Museums

Captain Ian McNaught, on behalf of Cunard, presented the painting to Jaap Kroese, chairman of Swan Hunter (Tyneside) Ltd.

It was then presented to Councillor Ged Bell, chair of the Tyne & Wear Museums Joint Committee for display at the museum.

Captain McNaught said: “We are grateful to Swan Hunter for having loaned us this painting for display on the QE2 where, over the years, it has been much admired by many thousands of people.”

The painting will go on show in 2009.