The original lekythos, attributed to the Achilles Painter and dating to ca 440BC, is in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
This is a poignant scene, reminding us of the tender farewell between Hektor and Andromache in Book 6 of Homer's Iliad. This iconography of the departing warrior bidding farewell to his wife was particularly significant in the second half of the 5th century BC when there was so much loss of Athenian life in the bitter conflict with Sparta.
The lady is shown inside the home, as indicated by the objects hanging on the wall behind her. Her husband, on the other hand, is clearly 'outside', about to depart for ever. The transition point is the helmet. The eye in the boss of his shield watches this scene, which is charged with pathos.
The muted colours and 'blotches' are consistent with the original vase in its current state. The colours on the original lekythos would have been much more vibrant and striking.