A painting of volcanic catastrophe which was almost destroyed in a Thames flood more than 80 years ago is to go on display.

British artist John Martin’s vast 1821 painting The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum nearly met its own end while stored at the Tate when the River Thames flooded in 1928.

It has now been painstakingly cleaned so it can be shown at the forthcoming Tate Britain exhibition John Martin: Apocalypse.

The gallery has also replaced a destroyed section of the painting, where Martin depicted the volcano erupting, with a new piece of canvas showing their own experts’ impression of the same scene.

Tate acquired the painting in 1918 and the work has not been seen since.

Martin (1789-1854) was at the heart of the popular culture of his time but was criticised for “playing to the cheap seats and addressing a mass audience for art”.

His detractors included poets Samuel Coleridge and William Wordsworth as well as art critic John Ruskin while Prince Albert and writers the Bronte sisters and Charles Dickens were among the former coach-painter’s fans.

The exhibition will chart what curators describe as the enduring influence of Martin’s visions of destruction, in everything from films such as the epic end-of-the-world movie 2012, starring John Cusack, to video games such as Hellgate: London.

Tate Britain curator Martin Myrone said: “John Martin was a truly popular artist in his own day.

“His images touched the lives of thousands of ordinary people in Britain and around the world, but his reputation has suffered from art-world snobbery and misunderstanding.

“The restoration work that has brought this painting back to life shows us why his art was so extraordinarily popular and will help to re-establish his place in the history of British art.” John Martin: Apocalypse opens at Tate Britain today and runs until January 15.