A gold brooch set with a large Neoclassical agate intaglio. Farewell of Hector and Andromache.

Hector, hero of Greek mythology, eldest son of Priam, king of Troy and Hecuba, husband of Andromache and father of Astyanax. He is one of the protagonists, like Achilles, of Homer's Iliad. He participated in the Trojan War and was the most important defender of the city, before being killed in combat by Achilles, angry with him for the killing of Patroclus.

In the carving, the hero says farewell to his wife and his young son for the last time, to head accompanied by his squire, outside the walls of Troy, of which the bricks can be seen, to clash with Achilles in the famous fatal duel. Hector remains a symbol of heroic courage and patriotism, as well as virtuous love. 

The carving is executed with skill and is faithful to a carving made by Luigi Pichler (1773-1854)
The famous scene was engraved by Pichler on a sardonica (formerly NY, Esmerian coll.) from a drawing by Vincenzo Camuccini (1771-1844). Imprint Paoletti vol. 2 n.446; Cades 70, 667 'da un disegno del Barone Camuccini”. Copie : intaglio in granato, Monaco, Staatlichen Munzsammlung, coll. Mohl'