Witsen's work, influenced by James McNeill Whistler, often portrayed calm urban landscapes as well as agricultural scenes.

[1] He also created portraits and photographs of prominent figures of the Amsterdam art world, as well as other artists, such as French Symbolist poet Paul Verlaine.

As a student at the Amsterdam Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten (State academy of visual arts), Witsen was a board member of the artists association Sint Lucas.

His circle of friends included the painters George Hendrik Breitner, Isaac Israëls, and Jan Veth and the writers Lodewijk van Deyssel, Albert Verwey, Willem Kloos, and Herman Gorter.

He was also a member of the artists association Sint Lucas, which is named after Saint Luke, patron of the painters.

The dark paintings did not sell well at his first solo exhibition, sponsored by the Amsterdam art dealer Van Wisselingh in 1895.

[7] The late-romanticist Dutch writer Nescio portrayed the main character of his story Verliefdheid (Being in love) from March 1919 as the occupier of this house.