Lot 711: The Marriage of Constantin the Great and Faustina

Follower of Frans Francken II
The Marriage of Constantin the Great and Faustina
oil on canvas
60.6 x 170.8 cm.

BILJOEN CASTLE

Biljoen castle with its characteristic four hexagonal towers topped with onion like spires was built in 1530 by the Duke of Gelre, Karel van Egmond, as a bastion against Emperor Charles V. Five years later it was sold to Roelof van Lennep. Through the years the castle was owned by a succession of noble families, the last being the van Hardenbroeks. In the second half of the 17th century, the interior was altered to the latest fashion. It was richly furnished and was deemed good enough to house Louis XIV during his campaign against the Netherlands in 1672. One of the most impressive rooms in the castle is the great hall which is richly ornamented with neoclassical stucco work including four large stucco overdoor panels copied after Piranesi's Veduti di Roma. The great hall was refurbished by J. F. W. baron van Spaen, 1760-1800. Its transformation was commissioned by van Spaen in 1770 after his return from the 'Grand Tour'. The inspiration for the new hall came from his stay in Rome where he bought some etches from the series 'Views of Rome' from Piranesi. In 1879 the castle was sold to J.H.N. Lüps, an heir to a German Industrialist. It was Lüps who installed the monumental vase and the impressive marble sculpture of Cupid (Lots 744 and 745) in the great Hall. The last member of the Lüps family who lived in Biljoen, died in 2006.


THE PROPERTY REMOVED FROM KASTEEL BILJOEN, VELP (LOTS 711-745)
Christie’s charges a premium to the buyer on the Hammer Price of each lot sold at the following rates: 29.75% of the Hammer Price of each lot up to and including €20,000, plus 23.8% of the Hammer Price between €20,001 and €700,000, plus 14.28% of any amount in excess of €700,001. Buyer’s premium is calculated on the basis of each lot individually.