FEATURES ARCHIVE

This November the art fair spotlight turns to Paris, as we welcome the launch of Paris Tableau, a new fair devoted to Old Master paintings. Elvire de Maintenant, Old Masters specialist at Christie’s Paris, tells us about the long-standing tradition of art fairs in Paris, and gives us a preview of what to expect this November.

When the Salon du Dessin was first launched in 1991, no one would have thought that it would become the event ‘not to be missed’ for all collectors of Old Master drawings. Paris Photo, instituted six years ago, also attracts admirers, curators and dealers of photographs. With the launch this November of Paris Tableau, the French capital once again promotes the potential of fairs specialized in a particular area of art—in this case Old Master paintings. As a response to the vast range of fairs, such as TEFAF or the Venice Biennale, a fair such as Paris Tableau, with a more limited number of exhibitors, allows for a greater coherence of works and even a similar theme and design from stand to stand. We can expect from the first Salon, which will take place in the very elegant Palais Brongniart (the old Paris Bourse or stock exchange), a carefully chosen selection with high regard for quality, condition and provenance. 

Led by the dealer Maurizio Canesso, Paris Tableau will welcome twenty galleries specializing in Old Master paintings: ten French firms—the anchor of this fair—and ten foreign ones. The theme of the fair this year is ‘Modernity’ and the potential symbioses between Old Master paintings and twentieth-century art. The challenge is of course to promote Old Master paintings which, in comparison to contemporary works, achieve more modest prices. In a difficult economic climate such as the present, it is arguably more advisable for collectors to return to more stable values and the result of this fair will be perceived as an indication of the strength of the Old Master paintings market as well as of the art market at large.

The French galleries and dealers presenting at Paris Tableau are Didier Aaron et Cie, Maurizio Canesso, Eric Coatalem, Haboldt et Co, Jean-François Heim, Georges de Jonckheere, Jacques Leegenhoek, Giovanni Sarti, Talabardon et Gautier, Claude Vittet, while the foreign firms are Charles Beddington, Kunsthandel P. de Boer, Galeria Caylus, Derek Johns Ltd, David Koetser, Cesare Lampronti, Noortman Master Paintings, Stair Sainty Gallery, The Weiss Gallery and Adam Williams Fine Art and Amells from abroad. Paris Tableau will take place November 4th through 8th with an opening event on November 3rd. 

Exhibition:
Paris Tableau: The International Fair for Old Master Paintings
Palais de la Bourse, Paris
4-8 November 2011

Auctions: 
1 November, Amsterdam
Old Master & 19th Century Art

24 November, Milan
Old Master Pictures

6 December, London
Old Master & British Pictures, Evening

7 December, London
Old Master & British Pictures, Day

25 January 2012, New York
Old Master Paintings, Part I
Arts of France

26 January 2012, New York
Old Master Paintings, Part II

Inquiries:
Elvire de Maintenant
edemaintenant@christies.com
Tel: +33 1 40 76 86 15