The most beautiful fair of the year is doing incredible sales and attracting visitors from all over the world.
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The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) is an art fair said to be the most beautiful art fair in the world. The artworks and art pieces showcased are the best ones can find. The fair was founded in 1988, now being one of the most important fairs in the world, having an edition in New York since 2016, too. This year the fair, which takes place in the small city of Maastricht in the Netherlands, counts 70.000 visitors. TEFAF tours the city into the hot spot of the art world for 10 days, attracting all the most important people ranging from dealers, galleries, museums and collectors. The fair is known for the “beauty” you can admire walking around, the venues are lightened and the entrance is decorated with flowers hung to the ceiling making it attractive and highly elegant.
The Fair opened its doors on the 9th of March, but it's still alive and going through the 11th March. However, sales happened already in an environment that seems very dynamic and sparkling. TEFAF is known as the world premier fair for fine art, antiques and design. It brings together more than 7000 years of history under the same roof. The fair features 260 dealers from more than 20 countries, 13 of which are participating for the first time. Half of the fairs cover old master paintings and antiques, but one can also find modern and contemporary art, photography, jewelry, 20th century design and works on paper.
In terms of sales, the fair is already meeting the expectations people had before its opening. A lot of galleries confirmed good sales during since the beginning of the fair. Among the sales records that stood out during the fair there is David Tunick’s Gallery that sold six artworks during the first days including the renomated painting “Madonna” by Edvard Munch, which has been sold for a six zeros number. Another artwork “Still life with pocket watch, skull and vase of roses” by Philippe de Champaigne and Jean Morin, for a five zeros number price in the first hour of the fair opening. Beh Hunter Gallery also made impressive records. The gallery sold a work from Phoebe Boswell for a price of 100 thousand dollars, a painting by Cedric Morris for 195 thousand pounds, one from the artist Frank Auerbach and a painting by Ithell Colquhoun. MS Rau di New Orlean Gallery, this being its first time at TEFAF, sold Tête de Paysanne à la Coiffe Blanche di Van Gogh to an important private museum outside of the EU. Zebregs&Röell Fine Art sold the only signed painting by Gesina ter Borch to the Rijksmuseum. The Gallery of Carlo Virgilio sold a painting by Carl Glotz to the National Archeological, Historical and Artistic Museum (MNAHA) of Luxembourg and the painting “Il Pescatoriello Marvasi” to an important American Museum.
Among the most successful and eye-catching booths of the fair there is the one of Sean Kelly, which in the center exhibited a work by the artist Kehinde Wiley. He is an artist based in New York known for its portraits of black people that reference the works of Old Master paintings. The painting is called “Portrait of Issa Diatta” and it has been placed on the side of an old sword from the 18th century highlighting the contrast between Old and Contemporary. Another very outstanding booth is the one of the Gallery Colnaghi, known for its antique pieces, which are unique and singular. The gallery presents one astonishing head of a man statue from the Roman Empire. The statue is in perfect condition and it is carved in a way that looks real. It makes you want to caress its face. To the left of the statue a work by the Spanish artist Sorolla is hung, “Portrait of Maria Plana de Gil with Black Mantilla Shaw”. The fast brushes of the painting make it vibrant and the perfect piece to give depth and tone to the expositor’s booth. At Stair Sainty Gallery “The Burial of Manon Lescaut” by Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret stands out as the most dramatic piece charged with energy and emotions.
This year, The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) managed once again to be the beacon of excellence and elegance in the world of art fairs, renowned for its unparalleled beauty and exceptional offerings. Since its inception in 1988, TEFAF has evolved into one of the most prestigious events on the global art calendar, attracting collectors, dealers, and enthusiasts from around the world.
Cover image: TEFAF Maastricht 2024. Courtesy of TEFAF.
Written by Asia Artom
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