The Art of Kissing: Intimacy Explored on Canvas

The power of a kiss in famous and lesser-known paintings

The Kiss (1898) by Felix Vallotton. Tempera on panel. 29 × 35.8 cm

What does a kiss feel like? And when it comes to art, what is a kiss declaring?

Take the painting shown above, The Kiss, made by Swiss-born Felix Vallotton in 1898. It portrays a couple embracing on a vivid blue sofa. Their shadows are projected onto the back wall, merging into a single silhouette that presents them in a passionate clasp.

Yet two details of this painting add a touch of ambiguity to what otherwise might be seen as a loving kiss. The first is the curved shadow descending down the woman’s dress, resembling a claw or even the mouth of a creature. The second is the talon-like gesture of the woman’s hand on his back,  hinting that she may have more agency in the kiss than we first thought.

What we should ultimately make of this image is open to question. But one thing is for certain: kissing in art is almost always a multifaceted story.

Here are more works of art that reveal a variety of connotations…