A pair of gilt bronze sconces in the salon of Steinitz, the Parisian dealer. Not only sinuous and sensuous they are signed and dated 1733. The booth itself was a tour de force of Regence boisserie most recently installed at the Park Lane, London mansion of Sir Philip Sassoon in the first half of the 20th century.
With two spaces in Paris’ rive gauche, Galerie Jean-Jacques Dutko has an interesting mix of Art Deco and contemporary art. Belgian decorator Christophe Decarpenterie created a Giorgio de Chirico-inspired set to show off a wonderful large garden sculpture by Antoine Bourdelle, and two minimalist bronze pieces by Bruno Romeda.
The Place du Grand Sablon is the epicenter of the antiques in Brussels all year long and with a multi-storefront gallery Costermans leads the pack. Objects such as this remarkable steel French Directoire planter (one of a pair) could give authenticity to any McMansion. Thierry Boutemy, the of-the-moment, Brussels-based florist installed the mosses.
Galerie Schoffel de Fabray has specialized in works from native cultures in Africa, North America, and Southeast Asia since the 1960s. Here a selection of early 20th century Melpa and Mendi axes from Papua-New Guinea are striking in their sculptural simplicity.
Antiques dealer and art connoisseur Axel Vervoordt long known for creating the spare Belgian look always has a trick up his sleeve. This year in his booth Vervoordt presented a sumptuous metal tapestry by the contemporary Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui.
Capucine Montanari is continuing her family’s tradition of providing top quality frames and framing services at Galerie Montanari in Paris. Here a selection of 18th century frames ready for a period canvas or a new work by Damian Hirst.
Having opened his eponymous gallery near the Grand Sablon in 2000, Klass Muller has quickly made a name for himself in 16th to 18th century paintings drawings and sculptures. Figures in a Mountainous Landscape is a wonderful multi-media drawing by Flemish painter Tobias Verhaeght.
Call it ghoulish or humorous this ivory guillotine at London’s Finch & Co. is an attention-getter made by a prisoner considering his possible fate. On the other side of the blade lays an ivory basket and severed head.
A number of dealers at the fair specialize in ancient art, including Phoenix Ancient Art, which presented this Greco-Roman four- legged table. This rare piece in bronze with silver inlays dates from the 1st century BC to 1st century AD.
Grand tapestries may be a thing of the past meant to keep drafty stone castles warm in winter. Nowadays they are appreciated for their remarkable artistry. De Wit Fine Tapestries showed an impeccable ‘Feuilles de Choux’ tapestry, which is notable for the rich green colors, which typically fade to blue.
