Tefaf (The European Fine Art Fair), known as the pre-eminent fair for old masters and European works of art, returns to Maastricht with its first summer opening. The 35th edition of the fair is held at the Maastricht Exhibition & Conference Centre (MECC) after being forced to postpone its March event due to continuing Covid-19 restrictions from 25–30 June. After last year’s online event, there is a buzz of excitement about this return to the real world. The event was shortened to 6 from 11 days, and the exhibitor list was cut by about 14 percent, to 242 from 280 representing 20 countries. TEFAF is scheduled to return to its usual March slot next year, rather than squeezing in between the Art Basel fair in Switzerland, a similarly postponed edition of BRAFA  in Brussels, and Masterpiece  in London.

The challenge for many galleries, though, is that May and June are packed with fairs that attract blue-chip modern and old master galleries, including Tefaf’s New York edition in May, the current section of Art Basel (16 to 19 June). In a fair covering eight fields (paintings, antiques, Haute joaillerie, tribal, modern and ancient art, design, and works on paper), trends are difficult to discern. Nevertheless, several galleries had sought out works by female old master painters, and this - according to observers - was just what the market, especially museums, wanted.

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Poster: Antonio Canova