The first major international event for historicized art is the unmissable TEFAF fair, which has been held for decades in the elegant town of Maastricht.
As per tradition, the Altiqa Art Advisory team, composed of Giovanni Gasparini (Art Management & Consulting Advisor) and Claudio Simonetti (Lawyer Specializing in Art Law), took part in the exclusive invitation-only days on March 13-14, hunting for high-quality works to offer to clients.
What makes this fair exceptional compared to others is its reputation for seriousness and quality, ensured by a rigorous ‘vetting’ process carried out by independent experts, who verify the authenticity and accuracy of the descriptions of the works for sale in the days leading up to the opening.
The exhibition is organized into three main areas, all of which offered remarkable selections.
The Great Masters of Painting
The fair is undoubtedly the most important for the ‘Old Master’ sector, featuring numerous museum-quality works, including a rare religious-themed painting by Titian, presented by Trinity Fine Art.
The Flemish genre painting sector from the 16th and 17th centuries was strongly represented, rivaling the presence of great Italian masters.
Portraits were also well represented, including religious ones, such as the Capuchin Friar painted by Pitocchetto in the 18th century, showcased by Galerie Canesso.
The Twentieth Century
Over the years, the fair has expanded to include a significant number of galleries specializing in 20th-century art, including the Italian Tornabuoni, which highlighted De Chirico’s Metaphysics and Alighiero Boetti’s imaginative works, and ML di Matteo Lampertico, which presented a rare ceramic dragon by Lucio Fontana and a Futurist drawing by Severini.
Even galleries specializing in ancient paintings sometimes venture into this sector, especially when they have rare and striking pieces, such as Fontana’s yellow canvas with holes from his 1961 Venice series, offered for a multimillion-dollar figure by Milan-based Matteo Salamon, in dialogue with the classic 14th-century gold-ground paintings.
However, not all works come with million-dollar price tags: for more accessible budgets, the section dedicated to works on paper offers a wide selection, with many pieces priced below €100,000, though still representative of significant moments in art history, such as the Avant-Gardes showcased by the Parisian gallery Berès.
Art Objects
The sector of European and non-European art objects features unusual and fascinating works, such as an incredible wooden panel screen illustrating interactions between Dutch merchants and Asian territories in the 17th century, the first known anatomical mannequin, a tapestry decorated with red coral from Sicily destined for a royal household, an ivory-inlaid backgammon set, and more.
Classical Roman sculptures were also present, as well as some of the earliest maps illustrating 16th-century explorations.
TEFAF once again confirms itself as the essential event for those looking to discover a museum… for sale!