The European Fine Art Fair (Tefaf) 2010

TEFAF Maastricht, the world’s most influential art and antiques fair, will have a record number of 260 exhibitors from 17 countries when the 23rd edition opens at the MECC (Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre) in the southern Netherlands from 12 through 21 March 2010. The European Fine Art Fair will reinforce its reputation for quality with exhibitors bringing only the very finest art and antiques all of which will be rigorously vetted by teams of experts. It will expand by introducing TEFAF on Paper, a new section devoted entirely to works on paper. The latest in a series of groundbreaking reports specially prepared for TEFAF will examine how the international art market has fared during the economic recession.

Magnificent Works of Art

Exhibitors at TEFAF will show some 30,000 works of art and antiques, including paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, furniture, classical antiquities, illuminated manuscripts, jewellery, textiles, porcelain, glass, silver, design and other works of art. Every era from classical antiquity to the 21st century will be represented.

Exhibitors at TEFAF

The record number of 260 exhibitors at TEFAF 2010 will include 22 who will be new to the Fair or will be returning having taken part in the past. They will be divided into nine sections, the largest of which will be Antiques and Works of Art with 97 of the world’s best dealers occupying 5,328 square metres of exhibition space. The next biggest are Paintings, Drawings and Prints with 64 exhibitors filling 3,548 square metres and Modern Art with 45 specialists covering 3,208 square metres.

TEFAF on Paper

The majority of the first-time exhibitors will be taking part in TEFAF on Paper, a new initiative creating an entire section of the Fair devoted to Old Master and modern drawings, limited edition prints, photography, antiquarian books and manuscripts, Japanese prints and watercolors. A total of 18 dealers will exhibit in the TEFAF on Paper section which will occupy the upstairs hall where TEFAF successfully launched TEFAF Design at the 2009 Fair. TEFAF Design, which proved a huge attraction to visitors to the Fair, will move downstairs.

TEFAF Showcase

In addition to the 254 exhibitors in the main section of the Fair, a further six will take part in TEFAF Showcase. Now in its third year, TEFAF Showcase gives recently established galleries the opportunity to take part in the Fair on a strictly one-off basis and to gain experience of being part of a major international fine art event. It also introduces visitors to TEFAF to some of the most interesting emerging galleries from around the world. The successful applicants for TEFAF Showcase 2010 are Humphrey Butler from London (antique jewellery), Dierk Dierking from Cologne (African art), Pierre-Marie Giraud from Brussels (contemporary ceramics and glass), Nomos of Zurich (coins and medals), Hidde van Seggelen of London (contemporary art) and TEFAF’s first exhibitor from mainland China, Pekin Fine Arts (contemporary Chinese art).

Art Market Report

The latest in a series of important reports commissioned by The European Fine Art Foundation, which organises The European Fine Art Fair, will be published shortly before the the 2010 Fair. Compiled by Dr Clare McAndrew, a leading cultural economist specialising in the fine and decorative art market and founder of Arts Economics, it will review and analyse the key trends in the European art market within an international context. It will look in detail at how the art market has fared during the international economic recession from 2007-2009.