TEFAF Maastricht 2018: Strong Sales and New Direction Under Nanne Dekking

The 2018 edition of TEFAF Maastricht closed on Sunday, March 18, with strong sales and a new director, Nanne Dekking, formerly of Sotheby's New York. Dekking introduced changes including the elimination of the TEFAF Art Market Report in favor of more focused surveys, while maintaining a rigorous vetting committee. Sixteen new exhibitors joined, notably Perrotin, Massimo De Carlo, and Mazzoleni, strengthening the modern and contemporary art section. Asking prices were more frequently displayed. Notable sales include Vincent van Gogh's 'Lilac' (1887) for approximately $9.5 million by Hammer Galleries, a marble sculptural group attributed to Giovanni Battista Foggini and workshop for €1.75 million by Tomasso Brothers Fine Art, Filippino Lippi's 'Sant'Albino e San Bernardo' (1496) for between €750,000 and €1 million by Kollenburg Antiquairs, Giorgio Morandi's 'Natura morta' (1951) for around €1 million by M&L Fine Art, Johannes Blaeu's 'Grooten atlas' for €730,000 by Daniel Crouch Rare Books, and Bartolomeo Ammannati's 'Modello per la Fontana di Palazzo Pitti' (1556) for €700,000 by Benjamin Proust Fine Art Ltd, acquired by the Rijksmuseum. Visitor numbers were 68,000, down from 71,000 the previous year, possibly due to overlap with the Armory Show and London auctions.