Theodoor van Loon: master of light, grandeur and religious beauty

Scherpenheuvel- Basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Scherpenheuvel, Theodoor van Loon - de Mariacyclus-© KIK-IRPA

Even though the name Theodoor van Loon does not resonate like those of Rubens or Van Dyck, the baroque painter left behind some astounding masterpieces. In his art, he mixed baroque Italian grandeur with refined details in a unique way.

At a young age, Van Loon traveled to Rome, where he was influenced by Caravaggio. You can clearly see this in his dramatic light-dark contrasts. His exceptional talent was already evident in his earliest works, which were infused with Caravaggistic elements and praised for their dramatic and emotional depth.

Back in Brussels, Theodoor van Loon painted a series of masterpieces for churches and monasteries. With refined brushstrokes, he brought saints and biblical scenes to life. With his ability to depict the deeper meaning of religious stories, he portrayed the intense spirituality of his era like no other.

Little is known about Van Loon’s personal life, but the monumentality of his legacy is undisputed. This giant of painting pushed the boundaries of the Flemish baroque. You can see this with your own eyes in places such as Brussels, Diest and Scherpenheuvel.

Discover the Flemish Master in these places

Sint-Jan Baptist ten Begijnhofkerk in Brussel

Saskia Vanderstichele - Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen

Church of St. John the Baptist at the Beguinage, Brussels

David Samyn

Musée de la ville ‘De Hofstadt’

De vier Evangelisten door Theodoor van Loon (detail)

Thea Henderix

St. Catherine’s Church Beguinage, Diest

KIK-IRPA

Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel, Scherpenheuvel

KIK-IRPA

Abbey church, Averbode

Church of St. John the Baptist at the Beguinage, Brussels

In this church you can admire St. Ursula crowned by the Baby Jesus. Already during his lifetime, this work was extremely popular, particularly among the beguines. Van Loon was therefore asked to make copies for the beguinages and beguinage churches in Diest and Leuven.

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Important clients of Theodoor van Loon were the Archduke and Archduchess Albrecht and Isabella. He painted a number of works for the St. Hubert’s Chapel of their palace on the Coudenberg in Brussels. Even though this building was destroyed by fire, you can still admire the impressive vaults. The remains of the palace are located under the BELvue museum.

More of the Habsburgs? Then follow in the footsteps of Emperor Charles V on the eponymous walk through Brussels.

Saskia Vanderstichele - Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen

Sint-Jan Baptist ten Begijnhofkerk

City Museum “De Hofstadt”, Diest

In this museum, you can admire two masterpieces by Theodoor van Loon: The Presentation in the Temple and The Adoration of the Magi. The Counter-Reformation had everything to do with that. Theodoor van Loon was commissioned to intertwine local religious beliefs with universal religious themes in order to advance the restoration of the Catholic faith in the southern low countries. In doing so, the master deliberately chose a form that ordinary believers could understand.

EmDee - CC Wikimedia

Stadsmuseum ‘De Hofstadt’, Diest

St. Catherine’s Church Beguinage, Diest

Theodoor van Loon painted The four evangelists for this church. They are each depicted with their own symbol: the angel for Matthew, the lion for Mark, the bull for Luke and the eagle for John. The influence of Caravaggio is also clearly evident in this work. The pulpit in the church – by Jan Mason and Jan van den Steen – is also a gem.

Diestse begijnhof-Stad Diest-(c)Visit Diest

Soms Ook Heimwee

Sint-Catharinakerk Begijnhof

Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel, Scherpenheuvel

This pilgrimage church is home to Van Loon’s most famous work: the Marian cycle. The eight monumental paintings depict the life of the Virgin Mary. The themes tie in with the seven celebrations held at the Court of Albrecht and Isabella. That is no coincidence because, for the Archduke, Scherpenheuvel was the bastion of the Counter-Reformation.

Saskia Vanderstichele - Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen

Basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Scherpenheuvel

Abbey church, Averbode

Theodoor van Loon was most likely to have visited this church when he stayed in Scherpenheuvel. This was the location of the altarpiece by Jacob van Cothem, commissioned by the Norbertines at the beginning of the 16th century and at that time already regarded as a masterpiece.

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Is your inner self in need of nourishment? Then try the traditional products of the abbey – beer, cheese, bread and ice cream – in the abbey cafe.