Francesco Hayez was the leading painter of Italian Romanticism in mid-19th-century. He lived long and was prolific. His work spanned both historic paintings, including those that would have appealed to the patriotic sensibility of his patrons. Others reflect the desire to accompany a Neoclassic style to grand themes, either from biblical or classical literature. He also painted scenes from theatrical presentations of his day. Corrado Ricci describes...