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Lot Essay
In 1598, the Spaniards under Mendoza occupied the city of Gennep on the River Maas near Nijmegen, and took Het Huys te Gennep. In 1602, Prince Maurits of Nassau captured the fortification, which was strengthened in 1614 and 1622. The strategically very important house controlled the Maas and Niers rivers, and was again in the possession of the Spaniards by 1636.
In June and July 1641 Frederik Hendrik of Orange besieged the fortification which was defended by the Irish Colonel Thomas Preston, who had been Spanish Governor since 1631. Preston asked for help from Brussels, which was beaten off on 23 June. After fierce fighting and casualties, negotiations for surrender were opened on 26 July 1641 and the next day the treaty was signed by Preston and Frederik Hendrik. In the present lot Preston can be seen bowing before the Prince of Orange, while the young Prince Willem of Nassau, shown bareheaded, looks on from his horse. Het Huys te Gennep is on the left.
Plate 4 of Nolpe's print has a key with detailed texts and is inscribed 'HET SPAENS GUARNISOEN, IS IN DESE/(HIER AFGEBEELDE)ORDRE, GETROCKEN/UYT HET HUYS TE GENNEP NA VENLOO,/OP DEN 29 IULI AO. 1641'. Hollstein described two related drawings in the collection of Dr. A. Welcker, now in the Prentenkabinet der Rijksuniversiteit, Leiden.
The town and Het Huys te Gennep were also depicted in a number of prints and maps by Claes Jansz. Visscher (1586/7-1652) in 1641 (Hollstein XXXVIIII, nos. 91-4).
Martszen's similar drawing of the Spanish army leaving Breda in October 1637, also from the Van Haecken and Beauchamp collections, was sold, Christie's Amsterdam, 13 November 1995, lot 118, now in the Breda's Museum, Breda.
In June and July 1641 Frederik Hendrik of Orange besieged the fortification which was defended by the Irish Colonel Thomas Preston, who had been Spanish Governor since 1631. Preston asked for help from Brussels, which was beaten off on 23 June. After fierce fighting and casualties, negotiations for surrender were opened on 26 July 1641 and the next day the treaty was signed by Preston and Frederik Hendrik. In the present lot Preston can be seen bowing before the Prince of Orange, while the young Prince Willem of Nassau, shown bareheaded, looks on from his horse. Het Huys te Gennep is on the left.
Plate 4 of Nolpe's print has a key with detailed texts and is inscribed 'HET SPAENS GUARNISOEN, IS IN DESE/(HIER AFGEBEELDE)ORDRE, GETROCKEN/UYT HET HUYS TE GENNEP NA VENLOO,/OP DEN 29 IULI AO. 1641'. Hollstein described two related drawings in the collection of Dr. A. Welcker, now in the Prentenkabinet der Rijksuniversiteit, Leiden.
The town and Het Huys te Gennep were also depicted in a number of prints and maps by Claes Jansz. Visscher (1586/7-1652) in 1641 (Hollstein XXXVIIII, nos. 91-4).
Martszen's similar drawing of the Spanish army leaving Breda in October 1637, also from the Van Haecken and Beauchamp collections, was sold, Christie's Amsterdam, 13 November 1995, lot 118, now in the Breda's Museum, Breda.