▼Copyright : The legal right of the creator to his or her work.

▼Applicated to : Arts architectural design computer programs videos fonts papers etc.

Every work of art has a copyright a right to be protected from imitation and abuse. However copyrights also have expiration dates which is 70 years after the holders death. From the point the work can be shared. So-called Copyleft series Peoples Painting we will get to know artists whose copyright expires after leaving numerous masterpieces in their lifetime.

Name : Francesco Hayez

Birth : February 2nd 1791

Death : December 21st 1882

Nationality : Italy

Style : Romanticism

Representative works : Rinaldo and Armida Romeo and Juliet Il Bacio

The farewell kiss of lovers may signify that though the body is separated the soul may always be around. Klimt’s work may be the most well-known work that comes into the mind when it comes to kiss there is an Italian artist that painted a much more passionate and romantic kiss. Francesco Hayez who is to express forbidden love with a kiss scene in his painting.

Born in Venice Italy in 1791 Francesco Hayez was born to a French father and an Italian mother. He was raised in his aunts hands during his childhood and with his gift in art he studied art in Milan and Rome.

In 1809 he won the competition in Venice Academy and received requests for works from various countries. It was an era of neoclassicism where biblical historical and novel characters were mainly painted and Francesco also followed the trend and kept a simple and clear neoclassical style while refusing to follow the colorful Baroque and Rococo style.

Francesco was famous for portraits in his early years. His representative work of his early years is about the Crusaders. ‘Rinaldo and Armida’ a work of the year 1813 is a painting about the crusader hero Rinaldo his lover Alemina and an enemy sorceress Armida who transformed into Alemina.

In 1099 Godfrey commander of the Crusade surrounded Jerusalem said that he would allow Rinaldo to marry his beloved daughter Alemina if Jerusalem fall in his hands. It was a great offer for Rinaldo who had already been in love but had not acquired permission.

The scene above is where Armida turns into Rinaldos lover Alemina and seduces him. Rinaldo expresses his longing love towards Alemina with a kiss. Despite such conspiracies of Armida Rinaldo was victorious. Francesco Hayezs expression of love that could have failed is truly romantic and beautiful.

Ten years later in the year 1823 Francesco Hayez gained considerable fame in Venice Rome and Milan. He painted a kissing scene in his work ‘Romeo and Juliet’ one of the four tragedies of William Shakespeare a British story based on Italian tales.

The commonly known scene is altered in a way that Romeo entering Juliets room through the window and kissing Juliet. It seems to contain a feeling of affection and love.

Francesco Hayez depicted a modern-day Romeo and Juliet couples kiss on canvas at the end of his art life. It is an 1861 work called ‘Il Bacio’ meaning kiss in Italian. This work covers not only the affection of a simple lover but also contains political metaphors.

In the mid-19th century Italy was under Austrian control after the Napoleon regime. However the revolution in France led to the liberalism and liberation movement. Three independence wars and diplomatic negotiations between France and Austria allowed Italy to become independent.

Francesco drew a kiss scene between an Italian soldier and a French woman who participated in the war. It is not known if it is a real person but their nationality attire and behavior contain metaphor. The green and red colors worn by soldier represent Italy in the blue and white colors worn by women in France.

The kiss means an alliance between France and Italy at the time and Francescos parents were actually Italian and French. Francesco considered France and Italy as lovers or couples.

Passionate kisses withhold and expresses different level of love compared to everyday kisses. Hayez’s pictures somehow depicts well the love and affection of kisses.