VanLooy

Jacobus van Looy; born in Haarlem, The Netherlands, 1855; died there in 1930.

Van Looy began his artistic career as a painter. While travelling in Italy, Spain, Tunesia, etc., he began to write sketches, which are collected in his volumes of prose I and II. For many years, he belonged to the editorial staff of the literary monthly Italic textDe Nieuwe Gids (The New Guide).

He is one of the most typical authors of Italic textDe Beweging van Tachtig' (The Movement of the 1880s). He idolises words, especially in his travel books; he is an epicurean and writes with imagination about the outward appearance of our every-day life. Not until later does he reveal an epic talent. There is something majestic, sometimes even overwhelming about van Looy. Moreover, one finds in times even in the short story, De Dood van mijn Poes (The Death of My Cat) and in his autobiograohy, Jaapje (Jimmy), a tender humanity and a gentle wisdom. As a painter, van Looy also revealed himself to be a witty and dignified craftsman. Many of his paintings are to be found in Holland's leading museums.