It's considered the romantic art manifesto. This oil on canvas, dated 1859, is available in four versions that differ in some details like the colours of the clothes and depicts two lovers kissing passionately.
Hayez, a Venetian artist of French origins, creates an iconic work that hides traces of romance in the ideals of the Risorgimento: Austrian anti-spirit and desire for national unification.
Same issues and scene from The Kiss can be found in Luchino Visconti 1954 film Senso.