Untitled Valentine (Hearts on Fire) c. 1840

Editor: Here we have a charming "Untitled Valentine (Hearts on Fire)" made around 1840, artist George Meek crafted it using drawing, print, and watercolor on paper. What strikes me first is its intricate, almost lace-like quality; it feels both delicate and bold. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, yes, it's a sentimental flurry, isn't it? Meek offers a glimpse into a bygone era, where love was a language of symbols and secrets. See how the central wreath draws your eye in, framing those conjoined hearts? To me, it speaks to the almost theatrical nature of Romanticism, with feelings ablaze and yet meticulously arranged. What's your take on those golden hearts, pierced by a single arrow? Editor: They seem straightforward: pierced hearts, cupid's arrow. True love and all that? Curator: Perhaps. But also, the vulnerability of love. The risk in exposing one's heart. Consider the precision of the cut paper, the layered textures against the smoothness of the watercolour wash. Does it perhaps hint at the careful artifice involved in courting, the delicate dance of revealing and concealing? I find myself pondering about the hidden layers beneath its surface. What do you see hiding? Editor: Hmm, I hadn’t considered it that way, the artistry hiding the vulnerability, the work that love actually is. I definitely see that contrast more clearly now! Curator: Indeed. An object so openly expressive but hinting a much deeper emotional significance, even within its material construction, if we look closely enough. Something easily overlooked!