(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) in Amsterdam 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 bought Huijsmans’ painting Interior of a House in North Brabant. 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. As a result of the mediation of Dutch statesman and minister of liberal signature, Johan Rudolph Thorbecke, Huijsmans obtained in 1865 the important position of art teacher at the new and prestigious Willem II College in Tilburg, a school commissioned by King William II himself. The school was housed in the former royal palace, now the City Hall of Tilburg, 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 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. In 1864 he was sent to a boarding school at Zevenbergen, but