Burton used gouache to create this piece, a type of water-soluble paint that gives the painting the vivid colours it is so well-known for. Gouache is also light-sensitive and prone to fading over time if exposed to direct sunlight or high UV light. Due to the sensitivity of the painting, the gallery’s curators take several protective measures to preserve the quality of the work. To start with, the gallery only allows viewers to see the painting for just two hours per week. Secondly, the light level on the watercolour is dimmed low so that the work isn’t overexposed. Lastly, a staff member returns the painting to a specially-designed cabinet once viewing hours are over in a meticulous, reverential ritual.
In both form and essence, The Meeting on the Turret Stairs encapsulates the power of love. George Eliot was especially struck by Hildebrand’s expression in the painting, describing the prince as “a man to whom the kiss is a sacrament”.
Despite how susceptible to damage the materials of the painting have always been, the colours remain as bold as the couple’s love for each other, even 162 years later. Burton has included what appear to be crushed white petals near Hellelil’s left foot. Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, tells the BBC that white roses symbolise purity and loyalty.
Dr Campbell holds a personal appreciation for the painting: “When I first saw it, I was struck by the dazzling blue of Hellelil’s dress, the bright colours, and the intensity of the moment depicted, although Hildebrand and Hellelil don’t look at each other,” she says. “Hildebrand seems to kiss Hellelil’s arm, but she turns away from him because she can’t control the strong emotion she’s feeling. I also loved the theatricality of waiting for the cabinet to be opened, and the ‘big reveal’, when I saw the real watercolour for the first time.”
