PARIS.- Paris Tableau 2013 was a resounding success, both for its 24 international exhibitors (including 2 framing specialists) and for its 6,000 visitors. While still only in its 3rd edition, the fair has established itself as an unmissable meeting for old master paintings enthusiasts.
From the private view on Tuesday 12 November, 2,200 collectors, curators, delegates from institutions and international curators passed through its doors. These included:
• Keith Christiansen, Metropolitan Museum, New York – USA • James Clifton, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – USA • Paul Lang, National Gallery, Ottawa – USA • Jean-Patrice Marandel, County Museum of Art, Los Angeles – USA • Olivier Meslay, Dallas Museum of Art – USA • Mary G. Morton, National Gallery of Art, Washington – USA • Eike Schmidt, Minneapolis Institute of Arts – USA • Humphrey Wine, National Gallery, London – England • Michael Clarke, National Gallery of Scotland – Scotland • Liesbeth Helmus, Central Museum, Utrecht – Netherlands • Fred G. Meijer, Institute for Art History, the Hague – Netherlands • Bodo Brinkmann, Kunstmuseum Basel – Switzerland • Matίas Díaz Padrón, Senior Curator of the Prado, Madrid – Spain
The Louvre was well-represented; Director Jean-Luc Martinez and Vincent Pomarède, Director of the Paintings Department were joined by ten curators linked to the prestigious institution. Pierre Rosenberg and Michel Laclotte, both honorary presidents, were at the meeting.
Also in attendance were the Petit Palais; the INHA; the Rouen Musée des Beaux-Arts Rouen; the Ajaccio Musée des Beaux-Arts; the Nantes Musée des Beaux-Arts; the Musée Jacquemart-André; the Musée Cognacq-Jay; the Musée Granet; the Rennes Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Musée National du Château de Compiègne. Paris Tableau in Figures:
• 6,100 visitors over the 5 days of the fair, from 13 to 17 November, compared to 6 days in 2012: visitor numbers are constantly growing, around 10% year on year since Paris Tableau was set up in 2011.
• A broad price range, from 10,000 to 4 million euros.
Particular canvases generated much interest such as the magnificent portrait of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger by Hans Holbein the Younger (1497 –1543), presented by The Weiss Gallery. With an asking price of 3.5 million pounds, this tondo was the most expensive work at the fair.
The De Jonckheere Gallery sold a number of works including Pieter Aertsen (1508-1575) Parable of the Royal Wedding (16th century), for around 2.5 million Euros to a private collector.
For Kunsthandel P. de Boer, the closing hours of the fair proved successful, seeing the gallery sell one of its major works, a representation of the Tower of Babel.
Galerie Canesso sold their most significant painting, which had an asking price of 780,000 euros: The Triumph of Wisdom over the Devil, Avarice and Sin by Domenico Piola (1617 - 1703) An oil on canvas by François de Nomé (Metz, 1593 – 1640), Expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple, also found a buyer.
Galerie Talabardon & Gautier sold 3 paintings, including Luis Ricardo Faléro’s (1851 – 1896) tambourine and the highly sought-after Straw Hat, by Alfred Stevens (1823 –1906). Two others were reserved.
Coll & Cortés presented a superb locket by Jacopo Ligozzi (1550 – 1627), with an Ecce Homo on the front and The Calvary of Christ on the back.
Galerie Claude Vittet sold their highlight piece, a remarkably well-preserved triptych from 1515 by Adriana van Overbeke and Studio (1505- 1515).
Mythological themes
Jacques Leegenhoek also sold a delicate oil on canvas by Isaac Moillon (1614 –1673), representing Acis and Galatea. Galerie Éric Coatalem sold, amongst other canvases, a pair of River Gods by Francois Boucher (1703 – 1770)
Portraits
A notable sale on by The Weiss Gallery was further tondo, this time by Frans Pourbus the Younger (1569 – 1622), Portrait of an Unknown Man, circa 1594. Carlo Virgilio sparked interest from collectors with Studies for Two Moorish Figures by Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, known as Grechetto (1609 – 1664).
Landscapes
Charles Beddington sold, to private collectors, a Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714 –1789) and a Pierre-Jacques Volaire (1729 – 1799) The asking price for each of these was 200,000 Euros.
The gallery also sold a painting by Bernardo Canal 1824 – 1852 (Canaletto’s father), with an asking price of 120,000 Euros. Jean-François Heim sold a landscape by Johan Christian Dahl (1788 –1857), Kronborg Castle by Moonlight, 1836.
Excellent sales reported
Galerie Terrades had an incredibly successful fair. From the end of the second day nine paintings left the gallery’s picture rails including Pierre-Henri De Valenciennes (1750 –1819) Arcadian landscape, c.1800, Paul Delaroche (1797 – 1856) Horace Delaroche, eldest son of the artist, 1838 and Marcantonio Franschini (1648 – 1729) Moses and the Pharaoh’s crown, c.1700 the oil on canvas sold for around 200,000 Euros.
The Carlo Virgilio stand saw sales of a Louis Gauffier (1762–1801), a François Gérard (1770 –1837) and a Fausto Zonaro (1854 –1929). A new participant, the gallery are keen to return and were happy with the new contacts they had made at the fair.
Other newcomers, Jorge Coll and Nicolás Cortés (Coll & Cortés) also listed a number of sales and new contacts. Cesare Lampronti also made a number of sales, notably
two charming Francesco Guardi (1712 –1793) works, over the weekend.
Extra events at Paris Tableau
The Sous Reserve d’usufruit exhibition created a talking point amongst the curious and collectors. On the evening of the private view, Guillaume Kientz, a curator from
the Paintings Department of the Louvre and commissioner of the exhibition,
established contact with further collectors interested in the scheme. A round table
was held the day after the private view, which put Sous reserve d’usufruit back on
the donations agenda and presented the advantages of this advantageous system.
The success of the conference organised about the connoisseur Federico Zeri, shows the extent of the affection and admiration felt towards him by his peers. The book
dedicated to Federico Zeri and Connoisseurship, published on this occasion by a
sponsor (GT Finance), received unanimous support.
Paris Tableau 2013, keeping in line with its two previous editions was able to satisfy collectors and curators, showcased an even better quality of works than ever, facilitated sales and created a dialogue concerning cultural development and benevolence. Paris Tableau allowed the eloquence of Old Master paintings to speak
for themselves, creating a successful fair that is also a hub of knowledge and
connoisseurship.
PARIS TABLEAU 2014: exact dates are still to be determined, but the fair will be held between 6 and 16 November.
