Constant Cornelis Huijsmans
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Constant Cornelis Huijsmans (1 January 1810 – 28 November 1886) was a Dutch art teacher and painter, whose roots go back to the seventeenth-century
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
of the landscape painter
Cornelis Huysmans Cornelis Huysmans (baptized 2 April 1648 in Antwerp; died 1 June 1727 in Mechelen) was a Flemish landscape painter who was active in Antwerp, Brussels and Mechelen.
(1648–1727). Paintings of the latter are to be found at the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
in Paris and at the
Hermitage Museum The State Hermitage Museum ( rus, Государственный Эрмитаж, r=Gosudarstvennyj Ermitaž, p=ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj ɪrmʲɪˈtaʂ, links=no) is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is the list of ...
in
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
,
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. Earlier generations of the Huijsmans family used to spell their family name slightly differently, as Huysmans.


Early life and family

Constant Cornelis Huijsmans was born in
Breda Breda () is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from ''brede Aa'' ('wide Aa' or 'broad Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. Breda has ...
on 1 January 1810. He was not only a painter but he was the Principal of the Art Academy in Breda as well as a teacher at the Royal Military Academy, also in Breda. He was the son of the painter and chemist Jacobus Carolus Huijsmans and Maria Elisabeth Beens. In 1854 he married Ludovica Francisca Kerstens (1823–1855), whose father was the owner of a successful brewery in Breda. The French author
Joris-Karl Huysmans Charles-Marie-Georges Huysmans (, ; 5 February 1848 – 12 May 1907) was a French novelist and art critic who published his works as Joris-Karl Huysmans (, variably abbreviated as J. K. or J.-K.). He is most famous for the novel ''À rebou ...
(Charles-Marie-Georges Huijsmans, 1848–1907) was his nephew. On the occasion of the latter's first major publication of a collection of French poems Huijsmans wrote in a letter dated 26 December 1874 to his nephew “by the way, your name in Dutch is Joris-Karel Huijsmans … you wrote orris-Karlwhich is German”.


Training and early work (1828–1840)

Early years between 1828 and 1840 in Antwerp, Paris and Breda Huijsmans studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and at the Academy of Fine Art in Paris. Initially, he specialized in romantic landscapes, but later he turned to interior scenes. Several of his sketchbooks have survived and some of his early paintings are known. In 1835 he returned home because of his father's going blind. As the eldest of eight children he took upon himself the task to support his family financially and to succeed his father who had been an art teacher at the Art Academy as well as at the Royal Military Academy, both located in Breda. In 1838 Huijsmans became close friends with Pieter Johannes Veth (1814-1895), his colleague (until 1841) at the Koninklijke Militaire Academie. Veth later became professor of Ethnology of the Dutch East Indies at the
University of Leiden Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city of Le ...
and the first Chairman of the
Royal Netherlands Geographical Society The Royal Dutch Geographical Society (Dutch:''Koninklijk Nederlandsch Aardrijkskundig Genootschap''; KNAG) is an organization of geographers and those interested in geography in The Netherlands. It has about 4000 members and sponsors lectures on ge ...
. They kept up a correspondence until Huijsmans died in 1886. Huijsmans managed to combine both his teaching job and his painting and took part in various national exhibitions.


Art teaching career (1840–1879)

Huijsmans developed two art teaching methods and he used these methods himself in his art classes. Some institutions such as the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (
Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten The Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten (State Academy of Fine Arts) was founded in 1870 in Amsterdam. It is a classical academy, a place where philosophers, academics and artists meet to test and exchange ideas and knowledge. The school supports ...
) in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
employed his approach as well. Huijsmans was the first in The Netherlands to dedicate himself to the professionalization of the subject of art teaching. His first art teaching method was called ''Het landschap'' (''The Landscape''), developed and published in 1840. It became a bestseller. The art dealer Vincent van Gogh ("uncle Cent", the uncle of Vincent van Gogh) subscribed to this new teaching method. In 1845
King William II of the Netherlands William II ( nl, Willem Frederik George Lodewijk, anglicized as William Frederick George Louis; 6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849) was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg. William II was the son of William ...
bought Huijsmans’ painting ''Interior of a House in
North Brabant North Brabant ( nl, Noord-Brabant ; Brabantian: ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to the we ...
''. This seemed the beginning of success for Huijsmans. In fact, King Willem II owned another painting by Huijsmans which the King must have bought just before or in 1849. It was described as ''Interior with a woman and a child'' (''Intérieur avec une femme et un enfant'', 51 x 64 cm, painted on wood) in the auction catalogue of 1851 (see lot number 244, p. 51), which listed all the paintings to be sold after the death of King William II (1792-1849). However, in 1851 Huijsmans decided to give up painting completely and to concentrate on teaching. In 1852 he developed a second teaching method ''Grondbeginselen der Teekenkunst, eene theoretische en practische Handleiding om het teekenen grondig te leeren'' (''Principles of Art Teaching, a Theoretical and Practical Manual''). Between 1853 and 1872 he published articles in several magazines, such as
De Gids ''De Gids'' (meaning ''The Guide'' in English) is the oldest Dutch literary periodical still published today. It was founded in 1837 by Everhardus Johannes Potgieter and Christianus Robidé van der Aa. Long regarded as the most prestigious literar ...
. As a result of the mediation of Dutch statesman and minister of liberal signature,
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (14 January 1798 – 4 June 1872) was a Dutch liberal statesman, one of the most important Dutch politicians of the 19th century. Thorbecke is best known for heading the commission that drafted the revision of the Consti ...
, Huijsmans obtained in 1865 the important position of art teacher at the new and prestigious Willem II College in
Tilburg Tilburg () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern province of North Brabant. With a population of 222,601 (1 July 2021), it is the second-largest city or municipality in North Brabant after Eindhoven and the seventh-larg ...
, a school commissioned by King William II himself. The school was housed in the former royal palace, now the
City Hall of Tilburg The City Hall of Tilburg or Palace-Council House (Dutch: ''Paleis-Raadhuis'') is a former royal palace and presently a part of Tilburg city hall in the Netherlands. Construction of the palace was commissioned by King William II of the Netherlands ...
, but moved in 1934 to a new location.


Vincent van Gogh

During Huijsmans' years as art teacher at the Willem II College in Tilburg, Dutch painter
Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionism, Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2 ...
was the school's and Huijsmans’ most famous student between 15 September 1866 and 19 March 1868. Van Gogh (1853–1890) had initially been taught at home by his mother and a governess, and later attended the village school in Groot-Zundert, in
North Brabant North Brabant ( nl, Noord-Brabant ; Brabantian: ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to the we ...
. In 1864 he was sent to a boarding school at
Zevenbergen Zevenbergen is a Dutch city which is a part of the municipality of Moerdijk. Zevenbergen is located in the northwest of the province of North Brabant near Breda. History Zevenbergen (literal translation: Seven Mountains) is presumably named afte ...
, but in 1866 his parents decided to send him to the new and prestigious Willem II College in Tilburg. In March 1868 Van Gogh suddenly returned home. One drawing of two men with shovels (1867) has survived from this period in the life of Vincent van Gogh. A year later, in July 1869, Van Gogh obtained his first job with an art dealer
Goupil & Cie Goupil & Cie is an international auction house and merchant of contemporary art and collectibles. Jean-Baptiste Adophe Goupil founded Goupil & Cie in 1850. Goupil & Cie became a leading art dealership in 19th-century France, with its headquart ...
in
The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
, through the mediation of his uncle Cent (Vincent van Gogh, 1820-1888), also an art dealer in The Hague. Huijsmans remained an art teacher at the Willem II College until 1877.


Later years and death (1879–1886)

In 1879 Huijsmans moved to
The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
together with his sister Oda. Huijsmans died in The Hague on 28 November 1886 at the age of 76.


Library

Huijsmans had built up an interesting library with works from e.g.
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
,
Giorgio Vasari Giorgio Vasari (, also , ; 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance Master, who worked as a painter, architect, engineer, writer, and historian, who is best known for his work ''The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculpt ...
and
Karel van Mander Karel van Mander (I) or Carel van Mander I (May 1548 – 2 September 1606) was a Flemish painter, poet, art historian and art theoretician, who established himself in the Dutch Republic in the latter part of his life. He is mainly remembe ...
, as well as six books by
Jan Luyken Johannes or Jan Luyken (April 16, 1649 – April 5, 1712) was a Dutch poet, illustrator, and engraving, engraver.William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
translator, Leendert Burgersdijk. They knew each other well and Burgersdijk would regularly ask Huijsmans for comments on the translations."Vincent van Gogh Special", ''Tijdschrift voor geschiedenis, monumenten en cultuur'', jaargang 8, nr. 2, mei 1990, p. 54.


A watercolour and three etchings

Het uitladen van een wagen, RP-T-1960-177.jpg, Unloading of a wagon,
Rijksmuseum The Rijksmuseum () is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the St ...
,
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
. Landschap met kale boom en herder, RP-P-OB-47.124.jpg, Landscape with a leafless tree and a shepherd, signed by C.C. Huijsmans with C.C.H., Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Boslandschap met water, RP-P-OB-47.131.jpg, Forest landscape, signed by C.C. Huijsmans, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Bosgezicht met houten brug, RP-P-OB-47.127.jpg, Forest landscape with wooden bridge, signed by C.C. Huijsmans, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.


Notes


References


"Een schets van C.C. Huijsmans", Ad C.J.M. Willemen, ''Tijdschrift voor geschiedenis, monumenten en cultuur'', jaargang 6, juni 1988.

"Vincent van Gogh Special", ''Tijdschrift voor geschiedenis, monumenten en cultuur'', jaargang 8, nr. 2, mei 1990.


* ''De kunst is geheel en al bijzaak, de moeizame carrière van C.C. Huijsmans (1810-1886), tekenmeester in Brabant'', Wilma van Giersbergen, Amsterdam, 2003. * ''Een zachte aanraking van zijn zieleleven. Over 'ware' en 'valse' mystiek rond 1900'', Peter J.A. Nissen, Van Tilt, 2008.
Collectie Regionaal Archief Tilburg.
* ''Het Landschap'', C.C. Huijsmans, published by H.J. Backer, Dordrecht, 1840.
Royal Collection/Royal Archives: at Noordeinde Palace, the Hague, C.C. Huijsmans, ''Grondbeginselen der Teekenkunst, eene theoretische en praktische Handleiding om het teekenen grondig te leeren'', uitgegeven door P.N. van Kampen, Amsterdam, 1852.


* ''The works of Vincent van Gogh, his paintings and drawings'', J. Baart de la Taille, Amsterdam, 1970. {{DEFAULTSORT:Huijsmans, Constant Cornelis 1810 births 1886 deaths 19th-century Dutch painters People from Breda Dutch male painters 19th-century Dutch male artists