Arria and Paetus at The Louvre, Paris

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Paetus, the husband of Arria, who was condemned to death by Emperor Claudius, received a dagger from his wife's hand after she stabbed herself. She had first taken her own life and handed him the dagger, saying "It does not hurt," in Latin. This dramatic act is a characteristic example of the "virtues" that were celebrated as part of historical storytelling. The Roman senator Caecina Paetus was put to death for his role in a conspiracy against Emperor Claudius in AD 42. To give him courage, his wife Arria first stabbed herself and then handed the dagger to Paetus, saying "Paete, non dolet" ("It does not hurt"). There were few depictions of this famous act, as it was recounted by Latin authors Pliny the Younger, Martial, Tacitus, and Dio Cassius. The model for this sculpture was created by French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Théodon, who worked in Rome for many years. He began working on the marble in 1685 but made slow progress, so the task was given to Pierre Lepautre in January 1691. The date inscribed on the marble is 1691, which marks the year Lepautre started working on it and completed it in 1695. The sculpture was moved from Rome to France in 1715 and was installed at the Château de Marly before being relocated to the Tuileries Gardens in 1717. It matched a piece by Lepautre, Aeneas and Anchises, which is now in the Louvre. This work was not inspired by an antique group in the Ludovisi collection but shares stylistic similarities with Roman sculpture from the 17th century. The figure of Arria was likely influenced by Ercole Ferrata's Saint Agnes (1660), while Paetus resembles a figure in Algardi's The Meeting of Attila and Pope Leo (1646-63). The fullness of the figures and drapery resemble Roman statuary, but the loose folds of Arria's robe contrast with the smooth pleats of Paetus' tunic. The artist aimed to convey the meaning behind Arria's heroic words by depicting her death as painless. Her eyes cloud over, knees give way, and she points to the wound above her left breast while offering the dagger to her husband with her other hand. Paetus leans tenderly toward her, his clothes finely detailed. The servant supporting Arria is beautifully portrayed, with a remarkable play of drapery as she looks up at her mistress' face. A winged cupid sits astride a dog, symbols of the couple's love and fidelity, lifting a fold of Paetus' cloak to hide from the tragic scene. This sculpture is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory that creates a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, and if you have interesting items around you, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can contribute.