The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet

Giovanni Beltrami|Francesco Hayez

crystal 1824, frame possibly contemporary · Rock crystal; gilt bronze · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Giovanni Beltrami engraved this miniature version of Francesco Hayez’s Troubadour-style painting, The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet (1823) for Count Giovanni Battista Sommariva (1760–1826). The crystal’s beveled edge and lucid clarity act like a lens to amplify the reverse-carved details and impart astonishing three-dimensionality to the figures.

Artist

Giovanni Beltrami|Francesco Hayez

Date

crystal 1824, frame possibly contemporary

Medium

Rock crystal; gilt bronze

Culture

Italian

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Purchase, The Isaacson-Draper Foundation Gift, 2016