The Brabant story of the artist Vincent van Gogh begins in Breda. This place has a rich history as the court city of the Nassaus, the founders of the Dutch royal family. Grandfather Vincent Ferdinand Jacob van Gogh (1789-1874), a native of The Hague, was a minister in Breda's Great Church from 1822 until his retirement in 1853. He and his wife had nine children, including the later preacher Theodorus (the painter Vincent his father). He was pastor in Zundert, helvoirt, Etten-Leur and Nuenen.
Vincent's grandfather, Vincent Ferdinand Jacob van Gogh (1789 - 1874), was a minister in both the Grote Kerk and the Royal Military Academy. For this reason, the Great Church is 1 of the 3 Van Gogh Monuments in Breda. He lived with his family in the Vissersstraat and later in the Reigerstraat. His son Theodorus (Vincent ́s father) succeeded him and later also became a pastor, but mainly in nearby Zundert (Vincent ́s birthplace), Etten-Leur and Nuenen. At the Grote Kerk there is an audio column with an interesting story.
Grote Kerk Breda
There are two large murals in Breda related to Vincent van Gogh. On Vincent van Goghstraat, Amok Island painted a potato plant for Blind Walls Gallery. Joren Joshua painted a 100-foot-long mural on Terheijdensweg in memory of Cornelis (Cor) van Gogh, Vincent's younger brother. Cor worked briefly at machine factory Backer & Rueb in Breda as a technical draftsman. He later left for South Africa, where he worked as a repairman and technical draftsman. The painting honors Cor and the machine factory.
Vincent van Gogh's godfather, "Uncle Cent," settled in Princenhage in 1873. In his villa, Mertersem, he set up a home gallery with 192 paintings. Uncle Cent gave Vincent his first painter's box, which helped him become an artist. He also put Vincent in touch with his art teacher Anton Mauve. There is an audio column at the villa.
Vincent's grandparents are buried in the Protestant Cemetery Haagveld in Princenhage, as well as his Uncle Cent and Aunt Cornelia Carbentus. At their graves stands a bench by Pien Storm-van Leeuwen, with an inscription inspired by a letter written by Vincent. At the entrance to the cemetery is an audio column.
Vincent's grandfather, pastor of the Grote Kerk and the Royal Military Academy, lived in Breda. He preached regularly in Zundert, where Vincent was born. Vincent had few warm feelings for his grandfather, whom he drew only once. There is an audio column at the Grote Kerk.
Vincent's grandfather, pastor of the Grote Kerk and the Royal Military Academy, lived in Breda. He preached regularly in Zundert, where Vincent was born. Vincent had few warm feelings for his grandfather, whom he drew only once. There is an audio column at the Grote Kerk.
At The Yellow House in Princenhage there is a great deal of knowledge about locations in Princenhage and Breda that played a role in the lives of the Van Gogh family. Think of the cemetery of Vincent van Gogh's grandparents, Uncle Cent's house and the tree supposedly planted by Vincent and his brother Theo. This tree is on Esserstraat 77, near Huize Mertersem. The Yellow House hosts a walk through Princenhage every second Saturday of the month visiting these locations. You can sign up through the Yellow House's website.
Haagsemarkt 6 rear, Princenhage (Breda)
Opening hours:
Friday 2 - 5 p.m.
Saturday 11-17 hours
Sunday 14-17 hours
