Speeckaert, M.J.

Speeckaert, M.J.

SPEECKAERT, Michel Joseph "Vue du château de Coenstborght à Laken. Démoli l'an 1810". [Laeken c. 1808] Pen and grey-blue wash, 64 x 67 cm, paper laid on cardboard, signed bottom left under the image "Dessiné d'après nature par M.J. Speeckaert" (light browning, sign. rather illegible). Contemp. wooden frame and glass. Castle probably built in the 15th century by Jan van Coensborch and his wife Catherine de Weert (Sweert lineage). After being sold to the della Faille family, it passed to Corneille van Reynegom (died c. 1689) and remained in this family until Auguste, who sold it in 1861. In 1867, it was sold to King Leopold II. In the meantime, the old castle was demolished in 1810 to make way for a country house, which was in turn demolished around 1875, when the King decided to incorporate Coensborch into his Schoonenberg estate. M.J. Speeckaert (Leuven 1748-1838 Brussels) is best known as a still-life painter. Ref. Wauters, Hist. des environs de Bruxelles, 6A:164.