Painted in 1859 by Italian painter, Francesco Hayez, "Il Bacio", or "The Kiss", is Hayez' most famous painting. It represents a couple from the Middle Ages, embracing while they kiss each other. The girl leans backwards, while the man bends his left leg so as to support her, simultaneously placing a foot on the step next to him as though poised to go at any moment. The couple, though at the center of the painting, are not recognizable, as Hayez wanted the action of the kissing to be at the center of the composition.