Willem Linnig the Elder or Willem Linnig Senior (7 August 1819, in Antwerp – 8 August 1885, in Antwerp)[1] was a Belgian painter and engraver who is best known for his history and genre scenes and interiors painted in a style which is reminiscent of 17th century Flemish and Dutch genre painting.

Linnig studied at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts, where the prominent history and genre painter Jan August Hendrik Leys was one of his teachers.

The co-founders included Léon Abry, Constant Cap [de], Florent Crabeels, Edgard Farasyn, Jean Pierre François Lamorinière, Egide François Leemans, Joseph Van Luppen [nl], Isidore Meyers [nl], Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels, Karel Ooms, Max Rooses, Hendrik Frans Schaefels, Lucas Victor Schaefels, Jan Stobbaerts, Frans Van Kuyck, Piet Verhaert, A.-J.

[1] Willem Linnig was a painter and etcher whose main subject matter was history and genre scenes.

Linnig's paintings show the influence of the style and subject matter of his teacher Jan August Hendrik Leys.