Once a year, Maastricht, with its medieval basilicas rising above the banks of the Meuse, becomes a magnet for art collectors, museum curators, and antiquarians. The small Dutch city was put on the map back in 1992 as the official birthplace of the E.U., so it’s no wonder that it’s also become the place where visual arts, antiques, jewelry, and design collide at The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF).
This year’s edition, which will be held at the Maastricht Exhibition & Conference Centre from March 14 through 19, spans everything from Dutch Old Master paintings to contemporary textiles. The fair, which also boasts a New York counterpart in May, has become especially popular with museums and patrons looking to expand their holdings. Last year, the Met acquired a post-French Revolution table stand by Joseph Chinard, while the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, secured a still life by Post-Impressionist Émile Bernard. The Art Institute of Chicago expanded its trove of works on paper with a self-portrait by Léon Spilliaert.
“These acquisitions are not only a testament to the breadth and expertise of our exhibiting galleries but also ensure that works of art enter public collections where they can be studied, preserved, and shared with audiences for generations to come,” notes TEFAF’s Head of Collectors and Museums, Paul van den Biesen.
TEFAF’s Focus section is playful and varied, putting the work of canonical figures in conversation with contemporary and emerging artists. Looking for Scandinavian and De Stijl design? Galerie Van den Bruinhorst will present work by designer and architect Gerrit Rietveld.
Perhaps midcentury French avant-garde is more your style? Ceysson & Bénétière will offer work by Patrick Saytour, a founding member of the Supports/Surfaces movement. If ceramics are on your shortlist, Tafeta will bring works by Ladi Kwali, a Nigerian maker who found renewed attention after a presentation last year at the Ford Foundation Gallery.
With objects ranging from Renaissance-era painting to 21st-century Mexican design, TEFAF Maastricht draws an expansive crowd. Just be sure to snap up anything you’re eyeing before a museum does.
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