Maastricht, Netherlands – The art world descends upon the Dutch city of Maastricht this month for the annual TEFAF fair, running from March 14th to 19th. This year’s event will showcase works from 276 dealers representing 24 countries, spanning 7,000 years of artistic creation.
TEFAF, widely considered one of the most prestigious art and antiques fairs globally, is known for its stringent vetting process. Hundreds of international specialists meticulously examine each object’s authenticity, condition, and quality before it is approved for display. Approximately 50,000 visitors, including collectors, curators, and museum directors, are expected to attend the seven-day event.
Among the highlights this year is a 1630 etching, “Self Portrait Frowning” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, offered by Kunsthandlung Helmut H Rumbler for £140,000. Dr. Michael Weis, a specialist, notes the work’s dramatic light-dark contrasts and its depiction of a fleeting emotional state. Likewise featured is a rare double-body cabinet with showcase created by Carlo Zen in 1902, presented by Galleria Rossella Colombari, with a price indication in six figures. Rossella Colombari describes the cabinet as a sculptural work inspired by Japanese aesthetics, blending Lombard restraint with Art Nouveau elegance.
Berthe Morisot’s 1892 oil on canvas, “Jeune fille au chien,” is another prominent offering, available from MS Rau for £3.3 million. Senior researcher and curator Marjorie Rawle highlights the painting’s significance as a watershed moment in Morisot’s career, created during a period of both professional recognition and personal loss following the death of her husband, Eugène Manet. The work exemplifies Morisot’s late style, characterized by hazy atmospheres and subtle color harmonies.
A painted wooden statuette from the Ptolemaic period (c. 323-230BC), representing the composite funerary deity Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, is offered by Galerie Cybele for £40,000. Galerie Cybele’s director, Tanguy Moreau, describes the statuette as a refined example of Ptolemaic craftsmanship, remarkable for its preservation of original polychromy and elegant proportions. The object embodies ancient Egyptian beliefs surrounding death and resurrection.
Literary treasures are also represented, with a jeweled binding for the first Kelmscott Press edition of “The Poems of William Shakespeare” by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, available from Peter Harrington for £125,000. Emma Walshe of Peter Harrington notes the binding’s opulent design, reminiscent of medieval craftsmanship and echoing the bindery’s legendary creations, including a jeweled “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” lost with the Titanic.
Sculpture is also prominently featured, with Barbara Hepworth’s 1966 alabaster sculpture, “Two Rotating Forms II,” offered by Piano Nobile for £1.4 million plus applicable taxes. Piano Nobile’s managing director, Matthew Travers, explains that the sculpture exemplifies Hepworth’s recurring theme of “two forms” and her exploration of balance, movement, and inner harmony.
The fair comes as the Netherlands continues to address the restitution of stolen artifacts. Recent news reports detail the Dutch authorities’ return of a stolen ancient bust to Egypt [2]. This follows a similar case involving a statue previously featured at TEFAF in 2022, which the Netherlands is also returning to Egypt [3]. The return of these artifacts underscores a growing international focus on provenance and the ethical considerations surrounding the art market, issues previously highlighted at TEFAF [4].
