Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée

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Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée (December 30, 1724June 19, 1805) was a French painter, a pupil of Carlo Vanloo.

Lagrenée was born in Paris. In 1755 he became a member of the Royal Academy, presenting as his diploma picture the Rape of Deianira (Louvre). He visited Saint Petersburg at the call of the empress Elizabeth, and on his return was named in 1781 director of the French Academy in Rome, a position he kept until 1787. He there painted the Indian Widow, one of his best-known works.

In 1804 Napoleon conferred on him the cross of the légion d'honneur, and on June 19, 1805 he died in the Louvre, of which he was honorary keeper.

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Cultural offices
Preceded by
Joseph-Marie Vien
Director of the French Academy in Rome
1781–1787
Succeeded by
François-Guillaume Ménageot
Languages