Melancholy
between 1840 and 1841
Francesco Hayez captures the essence of Romantic sadness here, portraying a young woman draped in shimmering silver silk that looks soft enough to touch. She leans against a cold stone wall with a distant, sorrowful gaze, while a vibrant bouquet of flowers sits beside her—some petals already fallen to the ground, hinting at fleeting beauty or a broken heart. As a leading figure of Italian Romanticism, Hayez was famous for painting historical dramas, but here he focuses entirely on raw, personal emotion. The contrast between the rich, shiny fabric and her pale, melancholic skin creates a hauntingly beautiful mood that defined the era's focus on individual feeling.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
- Material
- Canvas
Location: Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan