The American-Scandinavian Foundation mourns the loss of Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr., who served as a Trustee of the Foundation from 2001 until his passing on August 5, 2026, at the age of 96.
The Honorable John L. Loeb Jr. served as the United States Ambassador to Denmark from 1981-1983 after being appointed by President Ronald Reagan. A passionate art collector, he amassed the largest private collection of Danish art outside of Danish museums, including masterpieces by Vilhelm Hammershøi.
In 2013, Scandinavia House presented Danish Paintings from the Golden Age to the Modern Breakthrough: Selections from the Collection of Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr., featuring 37 paintings and drawings including work by Nicolai Abildgaard, the first history painter of note to be trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts; the “Danish Golden Age” artists Christen Købke, L.A. Smith, and Vilhelm Kyhn; and the modern painters Berthe Wegmann, Anna and Michael Ancher, P.S. Krøyer, and his pupils Harald Slott-Møller and the internationally-renowned Vilhelm Hammershøi.
In 2011 Ambassador Loeb generously supported the exhibition Luminous Modernism, a centennial retrospective of a landmark survey of Scandinavian art in America organized by ASF in 1912; Luminous Modernism was on view at Scandinavia House and traveled to many other venues. He funded dozens of fellowships and grants for the study of Danish art history.
In 2023, the American-Scandinavian Foundation honored Ambassador Loeb at its annual Spring Gala, presenting him with the ASF Cultural Award at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan, in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments as a collector of art and for his decades-long efforts to support and promote awareness and appreciation of Danish art in the U.S.
Dr. Terje Z. Lande, Chairman of ASF, stated, “On behalf of my fellow Trustees, I wish to convey our sincere appreciation for Ambassador Loeb’s long and dedicated service to ASF. His contributions significantly advanced our mission, and we are deeply grateful for his decades of generous support.”
Image: Sharon Loeb and Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. at the 2023 ASF Spring Gala—Photo by Christine Butler