Patroclus being carried to his funeral pyre as Achilles places a lock of hair on the body

Art Historical Context

In this poignant etching from around 1766, Swedish artist Johann Tobias Sergel a heart-wrenching moment from's *Iliad*: the funeral procession of Patroclus Achilles' beloved companion, as he is borne to his pyre. Achilles, grief-stricken, tenderly places a lock of his on the body—a classical ritual symbolizing profound loss and eternal bond. Sergel's neoclassical style, honed during his studies in Paris and Rome,uses the scene with dramatic tension and emotional depth, using fluid lines to evoke the heroism and tragedy of ancient Greek mythology. Created as an etching—a meticulous intaglio printmaking technique where acid bites into a metal plate to produce rich, tonal contrasts— this work exemplifies 18th-century fascination with antiquity. Measuring about 7 5/8 × 10 13/16 inches, its trimmed sheet highlights Sergel's skill in rendering muscular forms and expressive gestures, drawing viewers into the raw sorrow of warriors confronting mortality. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, 1986), this print not only showcases Sergel's early mastery but also bridges epic literature and visual art, reminding us of timeless themes of friendship, death, and remembrance in Western culture.