Van Looy Jan

Jan Van Looy was a Belgian artist, born in Laeken/Brussels in 1882 and died in Schaerbeek in 1971. He was a painter, draftsman, watercolorist and graphic artist. He spent his childhood in Laeken, but from the age of fourteen he often lived in Duisburg and Tervuren. At that time he already made numerous sketches in Leefdaal, Vossem, Tervuren and Duisburg. At a young age he came into contact with Jules Monitgny and the other masters of Tervuren. He was educated at the Academy in Brussels under the supervision of G. Van Strydonck (1897-1900). In the evening he went to the free academy La Patte and became friends with, among others, J. Laudy and J. Brouwers. He lived in Ternat and Tervuren. He painted landscapes, river views, portraits, interiors and still lifes. He found his inspiration not only in Brussels and Brabant, but also in the Kempen and the Scheldt area. He used a spontaneous and generous brushstroke and a rich color palette. During the summer months he lived and worked in Sint-Idesbald, where he had a studio. Throughout his life he cherished a great admiration for the Tervuurse and Dendermonde School. His first individual exhibition took place at the Intérieur gallery in Brussels. He mainly worked with landscapes of Tervuren, Ternat and the Kempen and Kempen interiors. His work can be found in the Museums in Ghent, Brussels, Mechelen and Tournai, among others. Jan Van Looy is listed in BAS I and Two Centuries of Signatures of Belgian Artists. (piron)