From 13 to 22 March in Maastricht was one of the biggest in the world of art and antiques fair - TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair)

From 13 to 22 March in Maastricht was one of the biggest in the world of art and antiques fair - TEFAF ( The European Fine Art Fair) . It was attended by 239 dealers from sixteen countries - Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, the United States, France, Sweden and Switzerland. Organized events - Confederation of European art dealers.

Traditionally Fair TEFAF included four sections: the art of XX century, the works of old masters, ancient and ethnic art, jewelry. This year added another section on the design. Fair in 2009 became the 22 th on the account. The total value of items on sale was estimated at one billion dollars.

at the fair could see the works of prominent artists of XX century, such as Wassily Kandinsky , Emil Nolde (Emil Nolde ), Louise Bourgeois (Louise Bourgeois) and Jean-Michel Basque (Jean-Michel Basquiat). But the most important «bait» Fairs have been and remain works of old masters.

London dealer, James Mitchell (James Mitchell) said that trying never to miss TEFAF. Stand his gallery John Mitchell Fine Paintings, sells the works of old masters and artists of the XIX century, has appeared at the fair in the 19 th time. According to Mitchell, the money earned in the ten days TEFAF, gallery may be a half a year. He noted that many collectors of old masters do not go to galleries and at auctions, and buy products for their collections only at the fair in Maastricht.

«(Buy - Ed.) old masters more profitable than gold samorodki if you are looking for something that does not lose in the price», - said another London dealer, Klovis Uitfild (Clovis Whitfield) from the gallery Whitfield Fine Art. At its booth beautiful and renovated recently discovered painting by Andrea del Sarto (Andrea del Sarto) «Madonna with Child and John the Baptist» (1513) with the price «8,5 million Euro».

Gallery Bernheimer-Colnaghi (London and Munich), involved in the sale of works by old masters, offered a portrait of an unknown bearded man painted by Peter Paul Rubens (Peter Paul Rubens) for 5.5 million euros, but the collector from the United States, she received the less than 5 million. The work was written by the artist in 1611 after he returned to Antwerp from Italy. According to gallery owner Konrad Bernhaymera (Konrad Bernheimer), it was bought from a customer a few months ago.

art dealer from Maastricht Noortman William (William Noortman), belonging to the head of auction house Sotheby's galleries Noortman Master Paintings, successfully sold a canvas XVII Century Dutch masters Metso Gabriel (Gabriel Metsu). For the picture, which depicts an elderly lady, a collector from the East Coast United States laid out a price close to that amount in the price (3.6 million euros).

Paris gallery Haboldt & Co., also dealing with the old masters, on the first day of the fair had sold five paintings, including a 15-cm Still Life with a glass of wine brush painter of XVII century Sébastien Stoskopffa (Sebastien Stoskopff). Price works of 650 thousand euro. The representative of the gallery Duko Vildebur (Duco Wildeboer) stated that at last year's TEFAF they would gain the same amount.

gallery of London, Johnny van Heften (Johnny van Haeften) on the first day of the fair had sold six paintings. Three more have been reserved. This first day TEFAF was most successful in the history of the gallery. By Saturday morning Heftenu Wang was able to sell the 12 paintings. One of the most expensive - street scene painted by Jan Bruegel-Senior (Jan Brueghel the Elder) and Yossi de Mompera Jr. (Josse de Momper the Younger), valued at about 500 thousand pounds (532 thousand euros). Another picture, painted river landscape painter of XVII century, Martin Rikkerta (Maerten Ryckaert), went for 800 thousand pounds (852 thousand euros). According to a gallery of David Dallas (David Dallas), «dealers now feel optimistic». He noted that thanks to the victory selling collections by Yves Saint Laurent (Yves Saint-Laurent), and Berger, Pierre (Pierre Bergé), many remembered that the art - a beautiful object for investment.

Dealers in London Daniel Katz (Daniel Katz), whose gallery sells a sculpture of the Renaissance, said that the cases they had at the fair went well. For example, a bronze statue of Neptune, made in the XVI century, Italian artist Tiziano Minio (Tiziano Minio), yielded an amount in excess of 300 thousand euros (but less than 500 thousand). Collector bought the work from Europe.

Raimund Thomas (Raimund Thomas), head of the Munich Galerie Thomas, specializing in the art German expressionists, sold landscape Emil Nolde (mid 1920's) for an amount, a little bit does not reach the 2 million euro, and watercolors by Kandinsky (1924) for 1 million. According to Thomas, this year it has reduced prices by 20 percent. He said that the market for works of German expressionists remains stable.

Another dealer Richard Nagy (Richard Nagy) from London, put up for sale with a picture depicting a mother and child, written in 1911 by Austrian expressionists Egon Schiele (Egon Schiele). Price - 8.5 million euro, and until that Nagy is waiting a response from a potential buyer. According to him, in the last five years at the gallery market went very little valuable Schiele, and last year he asked for a picture at least 11 million.

Madrid Caylus gallery brought to the fair a wonderful canvas El Greco (El Greco) «Christ, embrace the Cross», estimated at 4.75 million euros, which, according to the director, has already booked some collector from Europe.

New York gallery Christophe van de Vege (Christoph van de Weghe) managed to gain 3.5 million euro for the painting by Jean-Michel Basque (Jean-Michel Basquiat) «Untitled (Black Athlete)» (1982) . The buyer of the work became head jeweler Laurence Graff of Graff (Laurence Graff). Shortly before that sold for Graff TEFAF diamond for $ 5 million. According to the billionaire, the picture was the best Basque works of contemporary art at the fair. The collection Graff has several works by American artist, including painting of a boxer, bought for 8 million dollars.

Christophe van de Vege also sold a sculpture of fiberglassa «The old man on a bench», executed in 1977, the American artist Duane Hanson (Duane Hanson). The work went for 475 thousand dollars. She bought a representative of the Dutch private museum. Earlier sculptures included in the collection of Charles Saatchi (Charles Saatchi).

«Compared to last year, I lowered the price to 30 percent - said Christophe van de Vege. - If you offer customers a good work at attractive prices, then their interest is provided to you». This policy has borne fruit: in general, he was able to help out for the works of contemporary art sold about 6 million euros.

About say lower prices and Leyber David (David Leiber), director of the New York gallery Sperone Westwater. According to him, the value of works sold by them ranged from 80 to 360 thousand dollars. The most expensive was the picture of Andy Warhol (Andy Warhol), 1976 depicting a cocker-spaniel, owned by media magnate from New York Branta Peter (Peter Brant). As explained Leyber, 12 months ago, the buyer would have to pay for it at 90 thousand more.

London dealer Charles Beddington, who specializes in the Italian Landscape, told that sold seven works of old masters, a value of 10 thousand euro, and nearly a million.

Vedovi Paolo (Paolo Vedovi) from the gallery Odermatt-Vedovi successfully sold black «spatial concept», created in 1962 Luchio Fountain (Lucio Fontana). It has about 2,5 million euros and get the collector from Switzerland. A work «Basket» Gilbert and George (Gilbert & George) went for 600 thousand dollars. «TEFAF - currently Eldorado for billionaires - Vedovi said. - Here you can meet people who do not see in auctions». According to him, now began to return the recognized collectors who dropped out of the game during a buzz the last three years on the market of contemporary art.

Another hands-free sale was able to boast gallery Hauser & Wirth (Zurich and London). Someone bought it at the bench, three sculptures of Louise Bourgeois (Louise Bourgeois) of a series «Characters». For each gallery, requested $ 1 million. A surrealist work of Max Ernst (Max Ernst) «Man of insects» (1931) yielded Gallery 1 million euro.

Jean-Francois Heym (Jean-Francois Heim) from Paris, sold to American collector picture Gustave Moreau (Gustave Moreau) «Hercules and stimfaliyskie birds», a London company John Mitchell Fine Paintings has found a buyer for the «Message of St. Paul» written by a French painter of XVII century Sebastian Bourdon (Sebastien Bourdon). German gallery Kunsthandlung Helmut H. Rumbler, Frankfurt /Main has received 300 thousand euros for the full set of 33 etchings of famous Spaniard Francisco Goya (Francisco Goya) «Tavromahiya». The fair was successful and Ben Brown (Ben Brown), came to TEFAF from London for the first time: he successfully sold the painting «Search for the Absolute» Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte (Rene Magritte).

According to Heinrich zu Hoenloe (Heinrich zu Hohenlohe), director of the London company Dickinson, placed at their booth pastel by Edgar Degas (Edgar Degas) «Morning toilet» (1894) was sold for a few days before the opening of the fair. The amount that it has exceeded 10 million euro, but did not reach the 20 million.

Other works purchased before the start of TEFAF, allocated surrealistic snapshot Manx Ray (Man Ray) «Black and white» (1926), which provided a Berlin gallery Kicken, which specializes in photography. According to the director, Rudolf Kikkena (Rudolf Kicken), a European collector bought the work. Last thing was paid 600 thousand euros.

Specialists Kicken, like their colleagues from other galleries, photography, participated in TEFAF for the first time and were very satisfied with their «debut». They also expressed the hope that the ranks of the participants in this new direction for the fair next year, added.

For a few hours before the opening of the fair dealer in London Danielle Luxembourg (Daniella Luxembourg) has sold a sculpture Fabry Luciano (Luciano Fabro) Sullo Stato (1970). The work done in the form of maps of Italy, has 700 thousand euro. She was one of the main exhibit «Holocaust», arranged by Luxembourg at its booth.

Sections TEFAF, of antique and ethnic products, as well as jewelry, was the case too well. Companies Jorge Welsh Porcelain & Works of Art from Lisbon was able to find many new customers. Among the works sold by them - Two Chinese floor vases made around 1750, which won a buyer from China. Art dealer Luis Alegria (Luis Alegria), also came from Portugal (Porto), sold a rare pitcher pear shape painted in white and blue colors, which dates back to the rule of Emperor Tszyatszina (1522-1566). At the booth of the dealer Amsteradama Blitz Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art French collector purchased a bronze figure buffalo IX century BC. e.

interest collectors visiting TEFAF, led to significant works of ancient sculpture. The private collector from Spain for 200 thousand euro inherited Hellenistic marble head of Aphrodite, placed New York-based gallery of Royal-Athena. Another Hellenistic Aphrodite - this time a whole - has moved from the London dealer Rupert Weiss (Rupert Wace) collector of the United States for 400 thousand euro.

«In general, the market of antique works of more stable, it is less speculation», - said London dealer James Eid (James Ede), representing Charles Ede Ltd. On the first evening of the fair, he sold the Greek bronze statuette of Hercules, dating back to I century BC. e. for the amount of 300-500 thousand euros. «In fact, prices for the best items in the last year went up by 10-20 per cent», - he added.

at the fair were seen such art-tycoons, like Qatar, Sheikh Saud Al-Thani (Saud al-Thani) and the New York contemporary art collector Adam Lindemann (Adam Lindemann). According to the dealer Daniel Katz, TEFAF curators visited the Getty Museum (Los Angeles), the National Gallery (Washington), the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), Museum of Fittsuilyama (Cambridge) and the Museum of Eshmola (Oxford), as well as the New York Metropolitan Museum, British Museum, the Louvre, the Prado and the Hermitage.

On the 22 th Annual Fair TEFAF visited 67 of 755 people. This figure is 7.7 percent lower than last year. According to art dealers, and decreased the number of visitors from the United States. But at this year's TEFAF were 222 museums from around the world - a new record, exceeding the result of 2008 at 3.7 percent.

The following year TEFAF will take place from 12 to 21 March in the exhibition and conference center in Maastricht (MECC).

material prepared by Julia and Ekaterina Maximova Onuchin

Source: tefaf.com , bloomberg.com , artinfo.com , theartnewspaper.com , artdaily.com