Hermione Attempts to Kill Andromache and Her Son. A.M. 2830.

This is one of a group of drawings by British artist and book illustrator Edward Francis Burney, depicting scenes from Greek and Roman history and mythology. This composition was used for a headpiece in 'Le Souvenir', a memorandum book published by Suttaby, Evance, Fox, Richardson/London in 1822, on the page for 1st September. Hermione was the wife of Neoptolemos, and Andromache was his concubine. Hermione did not conceive any children with Neoptolemus, but Andromache bore him a son. Hermione believed that Andromache was casting spells to prevent her becoming pregnant and asked Neoptolemos to have Andromache killed. He refused and this scene shows Herminone's attempts to murder Andromache herself.