(Venice 1791–1881 Milan)
Romeo and Juliet, signed Hayez, watercolour, heightened with white, on paper, 35 x 27.5 cm, framed, (GG)

We are grateful to Prof. Fernando Mazzoca for confirming the authenticity of this work on the basis of a photograph.

Provenance:
Galleria Geri, Milan, 11th of February 1927;
Galleria Milano, Milan, 1st of July 1931, nr. 2058;
from the father of the current owner;
by descent to the current owner;
private collection Italy.F

rancesco Hayez interpreted the tale of the two lovers immortalized by Shakespeare. This was an increasingly popular subject in Romanticism, and Hayez would return to it over the course of the following years.
Romeo kisses Juliet for the last time as, forced to flee, he is poised to climb out of the window. Dawn is breaking in the background. The nurse carries away the oil lamp. The architecture is reminiscent of the times in which the unfortunate lovers lived.

“Romeo kisses Juliet for the last time” provoked scandal due to the sensual rendering of the pose and the enhanced realism of Juliet wearing slippers. The model for Juliet is Carolina Zucchi who had been Hayez’s young lover. She appeared in a number of very intimate portraits.