Willem Witsen were a multi-purpose man; he was painter, water-colour trick, draughtsman, etser, writer and photographer.In 1860, was he born in Amsterdam and got its training to the academies of Amsterdam and Antwerp.He had an active share in the movement of eighty, where he touched bevriend with important artists, such as Isaac Israels, Jan Veth and George hendrik Breitner.
Witsen travelled much and lived a number of years in London, where he started with painting sfeervolle, grown still town faces, mostly with snow, miss or rain. He was influenced by the work of Whistler. In the Netherlands he lived including in Ede and dordrecht.