Looy wrote first in the direct, personal, “1880” style, as in his popular novel De dood van mijn poes (1889; “The Death of My Cat”). The influence of the Symbolism of the time is seen in his early story De nachtcactus (1888; “The Night Cactus”), with the flower representing ephemeral desire that blooms for one night and then dies. In his later work Feesten (1902; “Celebrations”), he appears more objective, describing scenes from lower-middle-class life; and in his autobiographical Jaapje (1917), Jaap (1923), and Jacob (1930), he shows his genius for impressionistic word-painting.