1773
oil on canvas
155,8 x 211,5

The subject was taken from Homer’s Iliad. The Trojan hero Hector when setting out for battle says farewell to his family and compatriots. He has a foreboding of his death but does not bow before fate. The hero’s high patriotic impulse is more important than his personal suffering. The painting is imbued with high civic ideals as was characteristic of the historical painting of Classicism. The composition of the work is clear and balanced. The figure of Hector is placed at the centre of the painting; it is highlighted by an impressive pose, pathetic gesture and bright red cape. The other characters are depicted in the background. Their gazes and gestures are directed to the main hero. The main personages – Hector and his wife Andromache – are splendid both physically and morally, as was appropriate for ideal heroes. They serve as an example to later generations. The colour in the painting is strict and laconic. Its harmony is built upon the combination of brown and gray tones, as well as the contrasting silvery-yellow and reds.

at 10, Lavrushinsky Lane, Hall 2