Abraham van der Waeyen Pieterszen

Abraham van der Waeyen Pieterszen (May 14 1817 – April 16 1880) was a Dutch-born painter, trained in Antwerp. From 1844 Pieterszen worked as a deacon, later as a preacher for the Protestant Union of Belgium in Antwerp, Brussels, Mecheln and Leuven, finally in Maria-Horebeke. For 22 years, from 1857 to 1877, Pieterszen served as "agent-général" of the committee of evangelisation ("Comitée Synodal d'Evangelisation"); from 1860 to 1867 as editor of "L'Union", the official paper of the Belgian Protestants, too - but this additional task proved to be too much for him.

Pieterszen was among the six founders and governors of the Evangelical College ("Vlaamsche Opleidingsschool") in Laeken, near Brussels, established in 1875 under the direction by N. de Jonge. July 16-17, 1878, Ds. Theodorus van Gogh introduced his eldest son Vincent to the governors, who was admitted for three months on approval; but then he, a Dutch citizen, was told he could not expect to get the conditions of a native Belgium. [Letter from father to Theo van Gogh, [http://webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/7/etc-fam-1878.htm 28 July 1878] , Letter 126] Van Gogh's request of December 26, 1878, to join the work of the committee, was evidently supported Pieterszen, and so Vincent got a temporary contract for six month on approval. [Letter 127]

Even when the committee headed by Pierre Péron (1828-1920), minister of Dour (1869-1882) and the part of the Borinage district Van Gogh was appointed to, [E. M. Braekman: "Histoire de l'église protestante de Dour", Bruxelles/Brussel 1977 (Collection des Etudes historiques / Reeks van historische Studies, no 5)] in 1879 refused to extend his contract, Van Gogh still found Pieterszen's door open to discuss his wish to work somewhere between art and religion. [Letter ]

Soon, however, Pieterszen fell ill and died within short, in April 1880, little after Van Gogh's escape back to the Borinage.

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* Lutjeharms, H. J.: "Abraham van der Waeyen Pieterszen: Kunstschilder - evangelist - predikant", Bulletin van de Vereeniging voor de Geschiedenis van het Belgisch Protestantisme V, 1969, pp. 131-144