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Art lovers from across the world are coming together in Maastricht, the Netherlands, these days...
...for what is acknowledged globally as the world’s leading art and antiques fair.
Tefaf Maastricht features an impressive selection of genuine masterpieces from 260...
...of the world’s prestigious art and antiques dealers from 16 countries.
More than 30 thousand items are on display. All of them are for sale.
Among them this dark bronze buste of the French Baron de ***...
...created by realist Gustave Courbet in 1875.
This work of art has been missing for years and was recently discovered again in Algeria.
"This was missing when they did the big Courbet exhibition in Paris.
...and now it's turned up. It spent most of its time in Algiers.
...and recently turned up and it went to Switzerland.
Now we have it. It's a major discovery. It's a unique piece.
There is no other cast of it in bronze."
The buste comes with its original wooden case which is covered with masonic symbols.
It’s on sale for 680,000 euro.
Other gems at this year’s Tefaf are paintings by El Greco, Auguste Renoir and Frans Hals.
This Rembrandt is the most expensive piece on exhibit. The asking price is 35 million euro.
New York-based art dealer Richard Feigen says the global art market...
...remains buoyant as a result of continuing financial uncertainty.
"There is a lot of liquidity, a lot of money out looking for art...
...and less and less art to buy with it.
I think that reflects that art has effectively been monetized...
...and now seems to be regarded as an asset class, a place of refuge.
People don't like the dollar, they don't like the euro, they don't like sterling."
Security at the Tefaf art fair has been stepped up considerably this year.
Last year, on the final day of the art fair, one visitor walked away with two pieces of jewelry...
...worth 860.000 euro. Without paying.