Huize Mertersem is located in the Princenhage neighborhood of Breda. In this villa lived Vincent van Gogh's uncle, whose name was also Vincent. The painter Vincent van Gogh always called him "Uncle Cent.
Not only Vincent, but also his mother often visits here. She enjoys the beautiful English garden that Uncle "Cent" had planted at his spacious villa.
Vincent's uncle made his fortune in the art trade as a partner of the French art and print dealership Goupil & Cie, with branches in Paris, London, Brussels and The Hague. Vincent and Theo worked here thanks to him. He showed himself to be a true "godfather" to his nephew. When the latter chooses a career as an artist, he asks the Hague painter Anton Mauve (1838-1888) to help him.
Uncle "Cent" and his wife Cornelia move into Huize Mertersem in 1873. He had a gallery built on the house for his extensive art collection. This includes pieces by masters of the Barbizon School and the Hague School, including Jozef Israëls, Anton Mauve, Ary Scheffer, Camille Corot and Charles-François Daubigny. Vincent frequently viewed this collection during visits to Princenhage.
The house still stands and today is used as an office. Near the stately building is an audio column that tells the story of this location.
