Francesco Hayez

Key facts

Lived

1791–1881, Italian

Movement

• Romanticism

Works held in

13 museums^[1]

• Portrait of the countess Antonietta Negroni Prati Morosini

  Galleria d'arte moderna di Milano

  Royal Villa of Milan, Italy

  7 works

  

  Museum detailsMap
• The Last Meeting between Jacopo Foscari and his Family Before Being Sent into Exile

  Gallerie d'Italia – Milano

  Piazza della Scala, Italy

  4 works

  

  Museum detailsMap
• The Sicilian vespers

  Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Roma

  Rome, Italy

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap
• Marie Stuart - Francesco Hayez - Louvre RF 2012-23

  Louvre

  Paris, France

  1 works

  Museum details

Plan your visit to see Francesco Hayez →

• What is Francesco Hayez's most famous work?+

  Francesco Hayez is known for history paintings with Romantic themes, often presented as dramatic stagelike compositions. One of his well-known works is *The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet*, painted in 1823. Another important painting by Hayez, completed in 1831, is *The Refugees of Parga*. It is viewed as a didactic history painting expressing patriotic feelings through the depiction of displacement and exile. Hayez also painted *Meditation on the History of Italy*. Completed in 1850, it was previously known as *Meditation on the Old and New Testaments*. The painting features a woman with a bare breast holding a cross in one hand and a book titled "History of Italy" in the other. The artwork raises questions about the relationship between truth, faith, knowledge, religion, and science in 19th-century Italy. The figure is often interpreted as an allegory of Italy itself.
• What should I know about Francesco Hayez's prints?+

  Information about Francesco Hayez's prints is scarce. However, prints were sometimes commissioned to raise money for artists' families or to catalogue collections. For example, prints were pulled from the plates of the Galleria in editions of no more than 200 copies. These were sold to raise money to invest in Monti Camerali, and the proceeds were for the poorest members of the artist's Genoese family. This was meant to compensate for money spent on the Galleria and statues. The prints were collected together, seemingly by accident. Living together in Palazzo Giustiniani, artists produced prints in an intense and systematic way. The Galleria may have been conceived as a vast, illustrated catalogue, with almost every plate bearing the Giustiniani stemma as a mark of ownership. Works in the collection were mounted on wooden plinths emblazoned in the same way.
• What style or movement did Francesco Hayez belong to?+

  Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) is regarded as an artist who represents a transition into the second half of the 19th century. Although his early work displays the influence of Neoclassical artists such as Ingres, Hayez soon adopted a Romantic approach. His painting *The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet*, from 1823, is composed like a stage set, a common characteristic of Romanticism. His 1831 work, *The Refugees of Parga*, shows him as a didactic history painter. Through the depiction of a particular event, he was able to express patriotic feelings and imbue it with strength. Hayez's 1850 painting, *Meditation on the History of Italy*, engages with questions of religion and history relevant to the period after 1848 and before the Wars of Liberation. The figure confronts the viewer, creating a suggestive, almost hypnotic effect, between waking and dreaming.
• What techniques or materials did Francesco Hayez use?+

  Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) was an Italian painter known for his large historical compositions, portraits, and allegorical works. He employed traditional oil painting techniques, often on a grand scale, fitting for the Romantic and academic styles he favoured. Hayez's training at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice, and later in Rome, instilled in him a mastery of drawing and composition. His early works show a careful attention to anatomical accuracy and classical forms, skills he honed through the study of antique sculpture and Renaissance masters. He prepared studies and sketches before commencing on a final canvas. He built up layers of paint to achieve a smooth finish and realistic depiction of textures. His colour palette is characterised by strong contrasts and a theatrical use of light and shadow, elements that contribute to the drama of his historical scenes. Hayez's portraits demonstrate his ability to capture the likeness and personality of his sitters through subtle brushwork and careful observation. He sometimes incorporated symbolic objects and settings to convey additional meaning.
• What was Francesco Hayez known for?+

  Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) was a celebrated Italian painter whose long career allowed him to influence Italian painting for much of the 19th century. Hayez is known for history paintings with a Romantic approach, often composed like stage sets. One such work is *The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet* (1823). In paintings such as *The Refugees of Parga* (1831), Hayez revealed himself as a didactic history painter. He expressed patriotic feelings through depictions of specific events, imbuing subjects like displacement and exile with strength of expression. Hayez's 1850 painting, often called *Meditation on the Old and New Testaments*, should rightly be called *Meditation on the History of Italy*. In it, a beauty is deep in thought, holding a book titled "History of Italy". She also holds a lowered cross, and her naked breast is meant as a symbol of truth. The painting seems to ask if Hayez is contrasting truth with faith, or placing history between faith and truth. The beauty seems weighed down with problems, perhaps an allegory of Italy in the 19th century.
• When did Francesco Hayez live and work?+

  Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) was an Italian painter. He is best known for his Romantic historical paintings and his portraits. Hayez was born in Venice. He trained in restoration work with his uncle, and then studied art. In 1809, he won a competition from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice, which allowed him to study in Rome. He remained there until 1814, then moved to Venice. In 1820, Hayez moved to Milan. He became a professor of painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in 1822. He held this position for almost forty years. Among his students were Carlo Belgioioso, Tranquillo Cremona, Federico Faruffini, and Giovanni Segantini. Hayez produced a large number of paintings, drawings, and frescoes. His work can be found in many public collections, especially in Milan. These include the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, and the Museo Poldi Pezzoli.
• Where can I see Francesco Hayez's work?+

  Francesco Hayez's paintings can be found in numerous museum collections. In Milan, his works are held at the Banca Commerciale Italiana and the Civica Galleria d’Arte Moderna. Other Italian museums that hold works by Hayez include the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica, the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (Rome), the Museo Civico (Turin), the Museo Civico Borgogna (Vercelli), the G. Trento (Trento), and the Museo Civico (Treviso). The Museo d’Arte Moderna in Venice also has pieces by Hayez. Outside Italy, it may be more difficult to view his work. However, this list is not exhaustive, and more of his paintings may be on display in other galleries not referenced.
• Where was Francesco Hayez from?+

  Francesco Hayez was born in Venice in 1791. His father was of French origin, while his mother was Italian. Hayez spent his early years in Venice, where he initially trained in art. Venice, with its rich artistic heritage, provided a fertile ground for his early development as an artist. The city's influence is evident in his early works, which reflect the Venetian artistic traditions. Hayez's connection to Venice remained important throughout his life, even as he later moved to other artistic centres. Although he became associated with Milan, where he spent a significant portion of his career and produced many of his most famous paintings, his origins in Venice shaped his initial artistic direction. He died in Milan in 1882.
• Who did Francesco Hayez influence?+

  Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) was a prominent Italian painter. He is best known for his Romantic historical paintings and portraits. It is difficult to identify specific artists directly influenced by Hayez, but his impact on Italian art, particularly in the 19th century, is clear. Hayez's emphasis on patriotic themes and his development of a Romantic style affected many artists who followed him. His work helped to shape the visual culture of the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification. His paintings often carried political messages, subtly encouraging Italian nationalism. This approach was adopted by other artists who wished to express similar sentiments through their art. Hayez's focus on history painting and portraiture also had an effect. Many subsequent Italian artists continued to explore these genres, building on the foundations he had established. While not directly influencing specific artists in a teacher-student relationship, Hayez's artistic choices and subject matter resonated with later generations of Italian painters, especially those interested in historical and patriotic narratives.
• Who influenced Francesco Hayez?+

  Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) was an Italian painter. He is best known for his large history paintings, political allegories, and portraits. Hayez's early artistic education began in Venice with Francesco Maggiotto. He then studied with Teodoro Matteini. He moved to Rome and studied at the Accademia di San Luca in 1809. Here, he became a student of Neoclassical artist Antonio Canova. Canova's emphasis on classical forms and idealised beauty had a considerable effect on Hayez's artistic development. Hayez also studied with painter Pelagio Palagi. Palagi's influence is evident in Hayez's attention to detail and his use of colour. These influences helped Hayez to develop his own style, one that combined Neoclassical elements with Romantic themes. He became a leading figure in the Romantic movement in Italian art. His work often explored themes of Italian nationalism and patriotism, reflecting the political climate of the time.
• Who is francesco hayez?+

  Francesco Hayez was an Italian painter born in Venice in 1791. He settled in Milan in 1820 and became a leading figure of Italian Romanticism, using historical paintings to comment on the Risorgimento.
• Who was Francesco Hayez?+

  Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) was a celebrated Italian painter, notable as one of the leading artists in the transition to the second half of the 19th century. His early artistic style showed the influence of Ingres, particularly in its delicate painting and severity of line. However, Hayez soon adopted a Romantic approach, evident in works such as 'The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet' (1823). This painting is composed in a theatrical style. Hayez is also known for his history paintings with a didactic quality. In 'The Refugees of Parga' (1831), he expressed patriotic sentiments through the depiction of a specific event. His 1850 painting, often referred to as 'Meditation on the Old and New Testaments', is more accurately titled 'Meditation on the History of Italy'. This work reflects the post-1848 Italian society and its grappling with questions of religion and history. The painting presents an allegory of Italy in the 19th century, inviting viewers to contemplate the relationship between truth, faith, and knowledge.