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Jeune fille au chien by Berthe Morisot. M.S. Rau. |
Each spring a quiet Dutch city is transformed into the epicentre of the art world. Tefaf — The European Fine Art Foundation, to give it its full name — is widely regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious art and antiques fairs. Held annually in Maastricht in the Netherlands — this year from March 14 to 19 — the fair will bring together 276 leading dealers from 24 countries across five continents. The objects these dealers have to offer span some 7,000 years of history, from ancient civilisations to contemporary design, making it one of the broadest art market platforms in existence.
The treasures that pass through Tefaf are remarkable in variety, rareness and value.
Painted in 1892, Jeune fille au chien marked a watershed moment in Berthe Morisot’s life and career. Created during a year shaped by both professional recognition and personal loss, the work reflects a period of artistic reinvention following the death of her husband, Eugène Manet. “It is so rare to see such a radiant masterwork by Berthe Morisot at this large scale. Exhibited around the world, this celebrated work was painted in perhaps the most pivotal year of Morisot’s life, and captures one of her favorite models, Jeanne Fourmanoir, in Morisot’s own lush gardens in Paris,” says the senior researcher and curator Marjorie Rawle.
