Treasures AT TEFAF Maastricht 2013
Maastricht, 13 March 2013. TEFAF Maastricht opens to the public on Friday 15th March 2013. The offering of fine and decorative arts is impressive as ever—the fair is full of the rare, the beautiful, the important and the recently discovered. TEFAF Maastricht takes place from 15-24 March 2013 at the MECC Maastricht.
Old Master paintings
An arresting portrait by Velazquez (1599-1660) being exhibited by Otto Naumann (stand 351) entitled Portrait of a gentleman, bust length, in a black tunic and white golilla collar is on sale at the Fair for $14million. One of the highlights presented by Johnny Van Haeften (stand 304), is a magnificent, oil-on-canvas composition representing the meeting of Nausicaa and Odysseus by Jacob Jordaens (1593-1678). The study for this composition - a cartoon for a tapestry, which was never executed, - can be found with Jean-Luc Baroni (stand (382). The two works have been united at the Fair for the first time in many centuries. It is a tribute to the importance of TEFAF that such a serendipitous event should be possible. The famous still-life painter Balthasar van der Ast 1593/4 - 1657must have had a particularly good day when painting the still-life of fruit and shells now on display at Koetser Gallery (340).
From classical modern to contemporary art
A rare and important painting by Egon Schiele (1890-1918) entitled Mother and Child I (The Burnt-Out Mother)1909-1911, which has not been on the market since 1953, is the centrepiece on the stand of by Wienerroither & Kohlbacher (stand 706). Landau Fine Art (stand 414) has a reputation for exhibiting major works by leading 20th-century artists such as the charming portrait entitled Le Chasseur by Chaim Soutine (1893-1943) from 1928. Applicat-Prazan (stand 442) is exhibiting a seminal work by Jean Dubuffet, a large-scale collage on canvas work entitled Site Urbain dated August 1962 and one of the earliest works from his Hourloupe period. Dat Rosa Mel Apibus (The Rose gives Honey for the Bees), 1996, is an extraordinary work by Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) executed in mixed media and exhibited by Ben Brown (stand 520). From the same period Van de Weghe (stand 522) is exhibiting The Den, a mixed media collage on board by Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997). A colour video diptych on plasma display entitled Ablutions, 2005 by Bill Viola (b. 1951) can be viewed at Kukje Gallery (stand 523). Returning multinational dealer Gagosian Gallery (stand 445) is presenting a mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture of Venus with live flowering plants by Jeff Koons (b. 1955) from 2010-2012.
Antiques
Antiques is the largest and most varied section at TETAF, which gives collectors an extraordinary overview of the decorative arts. Galerie Perrin (stand 104) is offering an elegant bureau plat made by Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806), ca. 1740, that was formerly in the collection of Prince Murat, a title created for the brother-in-law of Emperor Napoleon I. Early porcelain specialist, Röbbig (stand 116) has a remarkable early, large Meissen ‘birdcage vase’ with two porcelain birds. Inspired by Japanese Arita ware, the vase, modeled by George Fritzsche the Elder (1697-1756) c. 1730/31 and decorated by Johann Gregorius Höroldt (1696-1775), has the monogram “AR” in underglaze blue, indicating it was in the collection of Augustus the Strong. A rare highlight with Mentink & Roest (stand 174) is a gilt-bronze automaton clock in the shape of an ostrich, made in Germany, c. 1580, which was formerly in the collection of the Princes of Lichtenstein. Only one other comparable example is known, which can be seen in the Würtembergisches Landesmuseum, Stuttgart. Hercules slaying the centaur Eurytion is an outstanding late 16th-century bronze sculpture by Antonio Susini (1558-1624) after a model by Giambologna (1525/29-1608). It takes pride of place on the stand of Coll & Cortes (stand 276).
Jewelry
Jewelry from different periods from antiquity to contemporary can be found within the Fair. A remarkable piece with A La Veille Russie (stand 110) is an openwork diamond bow brooch set in silver and gold by Musy, Turin, c. 1860, which previously belonged to three Italian Queens. An exquisite ‘mystery set’ (blind set) ruby and diamond pavé brooch by Van Cleef and Arpels, signed 1964, is for sale with Epoque Fine Jewels (stand130).
Non-European art
Art from different cultures has been a growing strength at TEFAF, such as an extraordinary pen box from Gujarat, circa 1600, with inlaid mother-of-pearl on a black mastic, shown by Amir Mohtashemi (stand 235). There are very few examples of this particular technique and nearly all known examples are in museum collections. Gisèle Croës (stand 133) is showing a large archaic bronze vessel, a Lei, with openwork crown, made in the Spring/Autumn period (770/481 BC). Galerie 1492, (stand 147) is exhibiting a Mexican mask from the Teotihuacan culture, representing a human face made from black stone, 0-600 AD.
Classical antiquities
Egyptian, Greek and Roman works of art can be found in the section devoted to classical antiquities. Gordian Weber (stand 430) is showing a statue of a standing dignitary made from stuccoed and painted wood from the Egyptian Old Kingdom period, dynasty 5-6, c. 2500-2200 BC. An outstanding Attic head of a herm made from fine-grained white marble, 460-450 BC is being exhibited by Jean-David Cahn (stand 420) while the front of Charles Ede’s (stand 424) is dominated by a highly decorated Roman marble sarcophagus from 2nd-3rd century AD.
Manuscripts, books and photography
One of the earliest prayer books created for Charles V in 1516-17 and one of the very few manuscripts to ever come on the market and the only one still in private hands is being exhibited by Dr. Jörn Günther Rare Books (stand 118). Daniel Crouch Rare Books (stand 703) is presenting a first edition of the most famous anatomical work ever published, De humani corporis fabrica libri septem by Andreas Vesalius, Basel c. 1543. The Norman Album, c. 1864-1869, containing 75 albumen prints by Julia Margaret Cameron is being shown by Hans P Kraus Jr. Fine Photographs (stand 450). Portraits in the album include depictions of Darwin and the poet Tennyson. During the vetting it has been described by experts as ‘one of the greatest treasures of the Fair’. Newcomer to the Fair, Galleri K (stand 713) has devoted its stand to the Becher School of photography with works by Andreas Gursky, Candida Höffer, Axel Hütte, Thomas Ruff and Thomas Struth. Andreas Gursky’s Pyongyang IV, taken at the Ariran Games in North Korea in 2006-7, makes a particularly powerful image.
Design
Design was introduced to the Fair in 2009 and has proved an important and popular addition to TEFAF. Galerie DOWNTOWN François Laffanour, Paris (stand 605) will show a unique bookcase from 1966 and an irregular hexagonal table, 1949, by Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999); the table stood in Perriand’s flat in Rio de Janeiro. Dansk Møbelkunst (stand 600) will present a selection of 20th-century Scandinavian masterpieces from the likes of Finn Juhl, Kaare Klint and Poul Henningsen such as Chieftain Chair, 1949, by Finn Juhl and Mix Chairs, 1931, by Kaare Klint and Edvard Kindt-Larsen.
Thematic exhibitions
A number of exhibitors this year have made small exhibitions the focus of their stand. In particular, Galerie Tanakaya (stand 711) is showing 36 Views of Mount Fuji by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858); Sebastian + Barquet (stand 610) puts the spotlight on the renowned American designer George Nakashima (1905-1990); Lowell Libson (stand 368) has made a small exhibition of six views of Farnley Hall Yorkshire by Turner (1775 - 1851) from a sketchbook in 1824. They provide an extraordinary insight into Turner’s drawing techniques. Hammer Galleries is mounting a special exhibiton called Objects in Space which explores the way Fernand Léger (1881-1955), Jóan Miró (1893-1983), Alexander Calder (1898-1976) and Piet Mondriaan (1872-1944) influenced each other and were all concerned with how to describe ‘motion’ in art.
TEFAF Showcase
Introduced in 2008, TEFAF Showcase allows young dealers the one-off opportunity to exhibit at TEFAF Maastricht. This year Sinai & Sons (stand F) is showing a mother of pearl and fruitwood marquetry inlaid commode, c. 1904, by Emile Gallé (1846-1904).
Vincent van Gogh
The loan exhibition at TEFAF 2013 is devoted to the drawings of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) from the Van Gogh Museum and features eighteen rarely seen drawings. The exhibition is made possible in part by the support of our principal sponsor AXA ART. Jardin de Presbytère, a watercolour on paper made in 1885 by Van Gogh, will be for sale on the stand of Kunsthandel Ivo Bouwman (stand 333).
Mobile application
A unique free application will help visitors get the most out of their visit to TEFAF Maastricht. Practical information about TEFAF and some of the works of art exhibited there will literally be at the fingertips of those using the app - it is the 21st century way of looking around the world’s greatest art and antiques fair. The app is compatible with Android, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. http://www.tefaf.com/mobile
Art, more than an Asset
TEFAF shares its view of art as more than an asset with its principal sponsor, AXA ART. Their partnership provides art collectors with unique expertise covering the full range of risk prevention, conservation, recovery and restoration, to enable them to maintain their collections in the best possible condition. www.axa-art.com
