Processing
Oil pictography on ‘Retouch’ canvas prepared with natural chalk and glue primer; retouching with palette knife and brush. Use of magnifying glass for details and Maimeri and Winsor & Newton colours. Solid wood frame with 8 relief friezes, bole preparation and gold leaf gilding.
History
This work is undoubtedly the most famous kiss in Italian art, an explosion of passion and mystery wrapped in a medieval setting. Commissioned by the patron and collector Alfonso Maria Visconti di Saliceto, it is however not only a romantic scene, but also a manifesto of the Italian Risorgimento. The young man, wrapped in a dark cloak, seems about to set off on a secret mission, while the girl, dressed in blue, indulges in a kiss with poignant intensity. The light enhances the fabrics and the passionate gesture, but the most intriguing detail is the shadow behind the arch, suggesting furtive observation, as if the love story were hiding a secret. Hayez made several versions with slight variations in colour, and some critics see in the scene a homage to the alliance between Italy and France during unification.
Francesco Hayez, The Kiss (RETOUCH)