Arria and Paetus

Arria (left) is shown visiting her imprisoned husband, Paetus, who had joined an uprising against the ancient Roman emperor Claudius. In ancient Rome, soliders were encouraged to die by suicide if they were captured by an enemy. Arria reminds Paetus that suicide is the honorable option for a Roman prisoner. She will eventually demonstrate what he should do by plunging the knife into her own breast. The painting has focused on the moment just before Arria inflicts her wound. This story was the sort of subject used by artists like François-André Vincent to demonstrate their mastery of the European 18th-century art movement called classicism. Elements of classicism are evident in the artist’s use of profile poses, a stage-like setting, and carefully defined forms.