Who painted The Kiss Returned?

The Kiss Returned was painted by Jacques Louis François Touzé in 1795.

Where can I see The Kiss Returned?

The Kiss Returned is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Kiss Returned?

The Kiss Returned is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

The Kiss Returned

Jacques Louis François Touzé , 1795

The Kiss Returned is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Jacques Louis François Touzé. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Jacques Louis François Touzé’s drawing titled *The Kiss Returned* was executed in 1795 using pen and black ink, watercolor, and gouache. The work presents an intimate outdoor encounter between a man and a woman, framed by a modest architectural backdrop and a few ancillary figures, all rendered in a delicate, muted palette.

Subject & Meaning

At the centre, a man in a brown coat and a black hat reaches for the hand of a woman in a flowing white dress and veil, her neck accented by a red necklace. Their poised embrace suggests a moment of tender affection, while a second gentleman in gray watches from the right and a dog stands nearby, adding a narrative of social observation.

Technique & Style

Touzé combines pen line work with washes of watercolor and opaque gouache, producing a soft, atmospheric effect. The translucent layers soften edges and convey a dreamlike ambience, aligning the piece with the Romantic sensibility that favored emotion, nature, and the idealisation of personal moments.

Context

Created at the close of the eighteenth century, the drawing reflects the period’s fascination with intimate, sentimental scenes set in natural surroundings. The inclusion of a modest stone building with arched windows and a tower situates the encounter within a pastoral yet structured environment, a common Romantic juxtaposition of nature and architecture.

History & Provenance

The work is catalogued as a drawing rather than a finished painting, indicating its place within Touzé’s broader output of studies and genre scenes. Its survival in ink, watercolor, and gouache suggests it was intended for private viewing rather than public exhibition, though specific ownership records remain limited.