Textile Fabrics / A Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Church-vestments, Dresses, Silk Stuffs, Needlework and Tapestries, forming that Section of the Museum

by Daniel Rock

6733.

Tapestry Hanging; subject, the story of Arria and Paetus, copied from a painting by Francois André Vincent, and dated 1785. The border was added afterwards. French, done at the Gobelins. 12 feet by 10 feet 6 inches. Presented by His Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon.

The subject is a startling one; being condemned to die, by the Emperor Claudius, and put an end to his life with his own hand, Paetus hesitated. Seeing this, his wife Arria snatched up the weapon and plunged it to the hilt in her own bosom, and then handing the dagger to her husband, said, “It does not pain me, Paetus.”

At top, on a blue ground, is a large N in yellow, indicative of the first Napoleon, who, in the year 1807 presented this fine specimen of the far-famed Gobelin tapestry to his brother Jerome, at the time King of Westphalia, as a marriage gift. By the late Prince Jerome it was sent, through his son, the present Prince Napoleon, for presentation to this Museum.