A NEW painting of the Newport medieval ship has been unveiled by an artist considered one of the best marine painters of the late 20th century.

Celebrated artist Peter Power usually sells his commissions for as much as £30,000 and has produced work for the likes of Robert Redford and Procol Harum.

Despite retiring five years ago, 77-year-old ex-SAS serviceman Power was persuaded to come out of retirement to produce one last marine commission for the Friends of the Newport Ship.

Yesterday the painting was delivered to Newport and will go on show to the Friends for the first time at the ship centre on Saturday.

The oil painting cost the Friends just £4,500 and is believed to be the most accurate representation of the ship yet following new research by Pat Tanner, who is writing his doctorate thesis on the ship.

The idea to approach Peter Power to portray the ship came from Ann Ferris and her husband, Newport councillor Charles Ferris, who are involved with the Friends.

The couple had known of artist Peter Power ever since the early 1970s when he was starting out selling art on the railings around Green Park in London.

Years later on a trip to visit the famous Mary Rose ship, they encountered Power's work again who had become a well-known marine artist.

Eighteen-months ago, Mrs Ferris contacted Power to ask whether he would be interested.

She said: “So I rang Peter Power and said, I’m not a crank. I said do you have anyone who could portray it with oils in all its magnitude

“He said he was retired but he is prepared to come out of retirement.”

Mr Power, from Surrey, said: “I think I started off by declining but with a little bit of coercion from charming people I changed my mind.

“It took about three months, including all the research. I have got my own library which has been gathered from an antiquarian naval bookshop in London.

“Each painting takes so much research into maritime history and the detail which goes into it, it’s quite tiring. “

Cllr Ferris said: “Peter has not painted for four and a half years but the maestro has not lost his touch.”

The painting, in an antique frame dating from 1760, will go on show at the ship centre at 2pm on Saturday, October 10 at Unit 20, Estuary Road, Queensway Meadows Industrial Estate, Newport.

The 15th Century ship was first unearthed in 2002 after work started on building the Riverfront Theatre on the bank of the river Usk.