RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Life Expectancy Ledger

 

 

@greg_clarke

Published in the print edition of the October 20, 2025, issue, with the headline “Life-Expectancy Ledger.”

Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée

Art Appreciation

Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée was born December 30, 1724 in Paris into a family that recognized his early artistic ability. He entered the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture and studied under Carle Van Loo, one of the leading painters of the period. 

Lagrenée excelled quickly, winning the Prix de Rome in 1749, which allowed him to study at the French Academy in Rome. His time in Italy shaped his understanding of classical composition and the refined elegance that later defined much of his work. 

Lagrenée returned to France in the 1750s and built a career that blended academic prestige with court patronage. He became a professor at the Académie Royale and later served as director of the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg at the invitation of Empress Elizabeth of Russia. 

After returning to Paris, he continued exhibiting at the Salon and received royal commissions. His reputation as a master of graceful mythological scenes kept him in favor during the mid-18th century, even as tastes slowly shifted from Rococo toward early Neoclassicism.

His technique emphasized polished surfaces, delicate color transitions, and idealized figures—hallmarks of the Rococo tradition. Lagrenée favored mythological and allegorical subjects, using soft lighting and fluid poses to create a sense of refinement and ease. As the Neoclassical movement grew, some saw his work as stylistically conservative, yet he maintained a loyal audience throughout his life.

Lagrenée’s best-known works include The Abduction of Deianira, Jupiter and Antiope, Mars and Venus, and The Allegory of Poetry. His paintings remain in major institutions such as the Louvre and the Hermitage. 

The Abduction of Deianeira by the Centaur Nessus, 1755

Mars and Venus surprised by Vulcan, 1768

Diana and Endymoin, 1776

Mars and Venus, An Allegory of Peace, 1770

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.louvre.fr

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org

https://www.oxfordartonline.com 

https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/300

Workout: 15 Minute AB Workout with Romee Strijd

via Romee Strijd 

Dance: Nora Fatehi - What Do I Know

Choreography: Matt Steffanina and Nora Fatehi

via Matt Steffanina 

Cosplay is an Art: Youmacon 2025 (Michigan)

via Justin Pineda Media 

Ragnhild Kaarbø

Art Appreciation

Ragnhild Kaarbø, born on December 26, 1889, in Harstad, Norway, grew up surrounded by the rugged beauty of northern Norway. This dramatic natural environment would later influence her artistic vision. 

As a young woman, she showed an early talent for drawing and painting, prompting her to pursue formal studies at the prestigious Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry in Oslo. She continued her education abroad, studying in Paris at the Académie Colarossi, where she was exposed to the avant-garde movements shaping European art at the time.

Kaarbø held her first solo exhibition at the Artists' Association in Kristiania in Oslo in the 1920s, marking the start of her professional career. Her work was met with positive attention for its vibrant colors and dynamic compositions. 

Over time, she became a recognized figure in Norwegian art circles, participating in national and international exhibitions. Her pieces often depicted the northern landscapes of her childhood, as well as intimate interiors and still lifes, each infused with her unique perspective. 

Despite the challenges of being a female artist in a male-dominated field, Kaarbø’s talent and determination earned her a respected place among Norway's early modernists.

Known for her bold use of color and expressive brushwork, Kaarbø’s technique blended elements of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism with her own distinctive style. Critics praised her ability to capture both the grandeur of nature and the subtle emotions of everyday scenes. Her paintings often evoked a sense of movement, as if the landscapes were alive and the interiors brimming with quiet energy.

Though Kaarbø’s career was relatively short, her contributions to Norwegian art were significant. She paved the way for future generations of women artists and left behind a body of work that continues to be celebrated for its vitality and heartfelt connection to the natural world. 

Composition with a Head (1925)

From Sjusjøen near Lillehammer (1941)

Village

House in Landscape

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://nbl.snl.no/Ragnhild_Kaarb%C3%B8

https://digitaltmuseum.no/011085441174/ragnhild-kaarbo

https://www.artnet.com/artists/ragnhild-kaarb%C3%B8/

https://artvee.com/artist/ragnhild-kaarbo/

https://isitaholidaytoday.com/birthday/RagnhildKaarb

https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Fra-Sjusjoen-ved-Lillehammer/8390724B61B37174C9D00774576D6358

Naughty Granny Crossing the Delaware

by Buck Brown, Playboy February 1984