The drawings and bronze sculptures of Thomas Lerooy leave no one untouched. By using iconography that features Vanitas symbols as well as icons from (art)history, he builds up complete compositions with a, notwithstanding, very compelling impact on the viewers. Themes such as death and mortality are elevated to a monumental grandeur and combined with a humour that is not unconditional. Thomas Lerooy thus takes a stand in a certain way against a certain type of Belgian art tradition. The quasi craftsman perfection of the execution, the anecdotal story in images and the relationship between the sculpture and its environment are the results of Lerooy's research into the aura and the appeal of images.