The National Museum of Art and History Luxembourg (MNHA) yesterday launched the temporary exhibition "Théodore van Loon. A Caravaggist Painter between Rome and Brussels".

Between 15 February and 26 May 2019, the MNHA will exhibit the works of the highly successful painter Théodore van Loon (1581/82-1649). Born in the Southern Netherlands, Van Loon was mainly active in Brussels. At the beginning of the 17th century, after spending a considerable amount of time in Rome, Van Loon, like his contemporary Peter Paul Rubens, introduced the innovative language of Italian artists to the Southern Netherlands. In fact, his expressive Baroque style still impresses today through its majestic, almost sculpture-like figures that are modelled by a sharp chiraroscuro (contrast between light and dark).

The exhibition sheds new light on works from the museum's collection of Old Masters. The scientific research that preceded it thus enabled the situating of “The Adoration of the Magi” by Jan Verhoeven (ca 1600–after 1676) into its historical context. The work is entirely based on Theodoor van Loon’s most popular original composition.

The exhibition is organised by the Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) in collaboration with the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (MRBAB) and in partnership with the MNHA. It follows an exhibition in BOZAR in Brussels (10/10/2018-13/01/2019).