The Meeting on the Turret Stairs – Irish Romantic Art Print

The Meeting on the Turret Stairs – Collector’s Edition Fine Art Print

Ireland’s most emotionally charged love story, captured in a single, silent moment. Frederic William Burton’s The Meeting on the Turret Stairs (1864) is celebrated for its tenderness, restraint, and psychological depth—an image that stays with you long after you’ve seen it. This Collector’s Edition is produced with archival materials and colour-accurate giclée printing, crafted to display beautifully today and endure for decades.

If you want a statement piece that feels intimate, timeless, and unmistakably Irish—this is the one.

Why This Piece Works Beautifully in the Home

• Quiet emotional power: a final farewell rendered with extraordinary subtlety—romantic, tragic, and deeply human.
• Exceptional presence on the wall: soft tonal transitions and fine detail reproduce beautifully at both available sizes.
• Creates a natural focal point: ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and stairwells.
• A meaningful gift: suited to anniversaries, weddings, housewarmings, or anyone with a connection to Irish culture.

About the Artwork

The Meeting on the Turret Stairs (1864) by Frederic William Burton is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Ireland. The scene depicts the lovers Hellelil and Hildebrand in a final, wordless embrace—an instant of tenderness set against the inevitability of fate.

Burton’s watercolour technique is exceptionally refined, with a miniature-like precision that rewards close viewing. Influenced by Pre-Raphaelite ideals, the work achieves its intensity not through spectacle, but through restraint—subtle gesture, careful pattern, and a stillness that heightens the emotional tension.

The subject comes from a medieval Danish ballad translated by Burton’s friend Whitley Stokes and published in Fraser’s Magazine (1855). Rather than depict violence, Burton chose the moment before it—the farewell—making the painting feel intimate, human, and timeless.

Choose Your Edition

Archival Print Edition (Unframed)

• Printed on 250 gsm museum-grade matte paper
• High-resolution giclée pigment inks for colour fidelity and stability
• Acid-free, pH-neutral materials designed for long-term preservation
• Ideal if you want to frame locally or rotate with seasonal interiors

Collector’s Edition (Framed)

• FSC-certified solid wood frame options: White Gallery, Black Gallery, or Natural Wood
• UV-protective, shatter-resistant archival glazing
• Conservation-grade mounting and professional backing
• Delivered fully assembled and ready to hang

Sizes Available

• 30 × 45 cm / 12 × 18″ — versatile, elegant, ideal for gallery walls and smaller rooms
• 60 × 90 cm / 24 × 36″ — statement scale for living rooms, stairwells, and hospitality interiors

Where It Looks Best

• Romantic interiors, heritage homes, and classic modern spaces
• Bedrooms (soft intimacy), hallways (narrative impact), stairwells (perfect thematic echo)
• Hotels, period properties, and design-led rentals seeking a timeless focal point

Shipping & Assurance

• Free worldwide shipping
• Made to order and carefully packed with protective, archival-grade materials
• Fully insured delivery with international tracking
• Ships in 2–5 business days

For Collectors & Gift Buyers

This is a piece people talk about—not because it’s loud, but because it’s felt. If you’re building a home with meaning, collecting Irish masterworks, or choosing a gift with genuine emotional weight, The Meeting on the Turret Stairs is a confident choice.

Select your edition, size, and frame above to begin your collection.

Provenance

Sold by the artist to Edward Fox Withem (1864); J.W. Knight (1865); Agnew’s (1866); J.W. Knowles, Manchester; Christie’s (John Knowles sale, 7 May 1877, lot 67); J. Grant Morris; Christie’s (J. Grant Morris sale, 23–25 April 1898, lot 7); Agnew’s; Miss Margaret Stokes (1898); bequeathed to the National Gallery of Ireland in 1900.

Exhibition History (Selected)

• Annual Exhibition, Society of Painters in Watercolours, Dublin, 1864
• Dublin International Exhibition, Earlsfort Terrace, 1865
• Loan Collection of Works by Sir Frederic Burton, National Gallery of Ireland, 1900
• Whitechapel Exhibition of Irish Art, London, 1913
• Irish Art in the 19th Century, Crawford Municipal School of Art, 1971
• Aspects of Irish Art (US museum tour), 1974
• Irish Watercolours 1675–1925, Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, 1976
• Irish Watercolours and Drawings, McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College, 1993