Carolus-Duran’s The Kiss, ‘Le Baiser’ in his native French, features a couple embracing, who are in fact artist himself and his fiancée. It is painted in the Realist style, as can be seen in the faces and floral details. Painted in 1868 when Carolus-Duran was 31, the couple is positioned close to the picture frame and this heightens the tender intimacy of the moment.
Carolus-Duran: The Kiss is in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille, France.