Recognized worldwide as the leading art fair, antiques and design, TEFAF Maastricht offers collecting opportunities without equal, exhibiting 7.000 years of art history, from antiquity to contemporary. Together with the world’s leading dealers, the fair features the return of TEFAF Focus for a second year, where galleries with curatorial platforms explore the work of a single artist or concept in greater depth. TEFAF Summit also returns for its second year on 17 March, in collaboration with the Dutch Commission for UNESCO, AXA XL and partner organisations including Deloitte and ICOM Belgium Flanders. This year’s TEFAF Summit will focus on the challenges of declining public funding in recent years, examining how philanthropy and innovative private funding models can support the European non-profit arts sector.
Furthermore, TEFAF presents two major exhibitions di loans from the Museum and Royal Wood of Capodimonte and from the KMSKA, Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, underlining its commitment to fostering dialogue between institutions, collectors and art lovers around the world. The 38th edition of TEFAF Maastricht also features a broad and dynamic visitor programme, including TEFAF Talks panel discussions and discussions on the TEFAF Meet the Experts stand. Below is a selection of some of the highlights that are on sale at the fair.
PRESENTED BY LANDAU FINE ART (STAND 414)
The Sleepers occupies a distinct place, not only in the legacy of Picasso, but also in the history of modern art. Chosen by Picasso’s longtime and highly regarded dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler to hang behind his desk, this extraordinary painting has become a symbol of Picasso’s genius. It has been the subject of interviews and exhibitions, including Picasso’s seminal 1971 retrospective at the Louvre, one of the rare occasions the Mona Lisa was moved to make room for another piece. This iconic work has been exhibited at some of the world’s most important cultural institutions, including the Louvre, the Stedelijk Museum, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Tate, the Centre Pompidou, and the Museu Picasso.
An extraordinary rediscovery sheds light on the early works of Gustav Klimt: Portrait of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, has been rediscovered after its removal from the public eye in 1928. Painted in 1897, this portrait of an important Ghanaian figure was created during the Vienna Völkerschau and reflects a pivotal moment in Klimt's artistic evolution. The painting was found in poor condition, with a faint Klimt ownership stamp. Expert Prof. Dr. Alfred Weidinger confirmed its identity after years of research. The rediscovery provides valuable insights into Klimt's changing style and the complex historical connections between Europe and Africa in the late XNUMXth century. This work is being offered under a conciliation agreement.
This captivating painting by Andrea Vaccaro depicts the lesser-known moment before the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, showing his preparation for the torment ordered by the Emperor Diocletian. Stripped of his armor, the young saint is depicted in a contrapposto movement, his serene expression contrasting with the tension of the scene. The illuminated composition, influenced by Caravaggio and Ribera, emphasizes the saint's calm acceptance of fate. Vaccaro's unique blend of naturalism and classicism, influenced by Guido Reni and Stanzione, gives the work power and sensuality. The chiaroscuro and vibrant color palette reflect his evolution as an artist during the Neapolitan Baroque, capturing a powerful moment of the divine.
Born in Paris in 1911 and died in New York in 2010, Louise Bourgeois is today considered one of the most important figures in 60th-century art. A sculptor, designer, and creator of powerful installations, she considered art to be a guarantee of mental health. Drawing on her own life experiences, Bourgeois explored themes of sexuality, both female and male, throughout her career. She believed her work always had a sexual dimension, which became more explicit after the XNUMXs. Drawing was central to her practice, an act of exorcism and reflection. Whether abstract or figurative, small sketches or large compositions, her graphic work acts as a seismograph of her inner world.
This extraordinary secretary It embodies Adam Weisweiler’s distinctive style and was created for the marchand-mercier Dominique Daguerre during the late Ancien Régime. Featuring lacquered panels and interlaced spacers, its design mirrors other works by Weisweiler, including the secretaries in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rijksmuseum. The gilt-bronze embellishments, likely made by François Rémond, show “chinoisante” influences, reflecting the period’s fascination with Asian aesthetics. Once owned by Baron Alphonse de Rothschild, it exemplifies his repressed taste for French luxury, as exhibited in his Hôtel Saint-Florentin.
The Collier Atoll by Margot McKinney trae draws inspiration from the breathtaking landscapes of her native Australia, particularly the vibrant waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The necklace features thirteen large pieces of rare boulder opal, mined in the 60s near Winton, Queensland. These arid desert-born opals paradoxically capture the play of shimmering colors reminiscent of coral seas. The design is accented with Tahitian pistachio pearls, along with tourmalines, zirconias and demantoids, a rare and brilliant garnet. The Atoll Collier beautifully embodies the contrast between Australia’s rugged outback and its pristine tropical seas.
An exceptional Pleyel piano by Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann, commissioned by François Ducharne, then director of Soieries F. Ducharne, for his private villa in Paris, celebrating the centenary of the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. This rare piano, exhibited alongside a unique collection of Ruhlmann's furniture and objects, including carpets, armchairs, pedestal tables and a coffee table, all on display at the Galerie Marcilhac stand.
Cover image: Willem van de Velde the Younger and school (1698)- Oil on canvas 16402 x 306 cm. Presented by BIJL-VAN URK MASTERPAINTINGS (STAND 370)
