 In June 1839, they moved to The Hague so that the young Willem could study in the Academy for Visual Arts in that city and train in the atelier of Hendrik van de Sande Bakhuyzen.In 1847, he was involved in the establishment of the artists society “The Hague Pulchri Studio”.In 1847, he left The Hague rather suddenly and went to live in Brussels where he remained until 1887.