Leon Van Loo (1841–1907) was an American photographer and art promoter. Born 12 August 1841, in

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, he moved to

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

in 1858, when he opened a photography gallery. After doing well in the cotton trade after the Civil War, he retired early in 1866. He subsequently spent time travelling to Europe and collecting art, which he displayed in Cincinnati. In 1875, he introduced a new kind of photography he called "ideal." Photographs using this technique are printed on

zinc oxide Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the Chemical formula, formula . It is a white powder which is insoluble in water. ZnO is used as an additive in numerous materials and products including cosmetics, Zinc metabolism, food supplements, rubbe ...

applied to blackened sheet-iron and present a pearly, transparent surface. In 1890, he was a founding member of the

Cincinnati Art Club The Cincinnati Art Club was formed in 1890 and is one of the oldest continually operating groups or collectives of artists in the United States. It was formed for the purpose of “advancing the knowledge and love of art through education.” The ...

and served as president from 1894 to 1896 and 1903–1904. Van Loo died on 10 January 1907.

External links

*
Leon Van Loo profile at Luminous Lint

1841 births 1907 deaths Belgian emigrants to the United States American photographers 19th-century Belgian photographers 19th-century American photographers Photographic techniques Artists from Cincinnati People from Ghent Burials at Spring Grove Cemetery {{Europe-photographer-stub