Galerie’s Top Picks from TEFAF Maastricht 2026
Open through March 19, The European Fine Art Fair, now in its 39th edition, is still an unrivaled art-world event, offering fine and decorative arts spanning 7,000 years
Considered the grande dame of art events, The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht brings together some of the rarest and most coveted objects of fine and decorative arts. Each year, chic and sophisticated visitors gather amidst the floral chandeliers eager to enjoy the expertly curated presentations and to nab one of the fair’s signature freshly shucked oysters. For the collectors in attendance, art and antique offerings spanning 7,000 years await.
This year, over 270 exhibitors welcomed visitors to the halls of the fair. “I love this fair, it’s elegant and refreshing,” exhibitor Marianne Boesky said shortly after the event opened to VIPs. “The quality overall is so high, and there’s such a diversity of artworks and objects that it’s even fun for us to see what other dealers bring.”
Indeed, with its multimillennial scope, TEFAF brings together an exceptional assortment of museum-quality finds from antiquities and Old Masters to design treasures and jewelry that would stop anyone in their tracks. Among the ancient and historic offerings this year were a rare ornamental hanging likely intended for a Buddhist temple in Yann Ferrandin’s booth. Made of carved wood, pigments, gilding, and metal, the Heian period (794–1185 AD) object features two deities seated on a lotus.
If Baroque masterpieces are your preference, Jean-François Heim is guaranteed to fit the bill with a dramatic painting by Artemisia Gentileschi. Featuring a woman depicted with beauty, authority, and grace, Self Portrait of the Artist as Cleopatra (circa 1620) demonstrates the artist’s keen ability to convey emotional intensity and strength.
On the design and decorative arts front, TEFAF has endless options to choose from, including a rare roll-top desk by Jean-Henri Riesener (furniture maker extraordinaire to Marie Antoinette) from around 1775–1785 that epitomizes the mechanical ingenuity of the era.
Anchoring the modern and contemporary presentations is White Cube (the global powerhouse impressed with a stunning abstract work by Howardena Pindell and a large, moody piece by Georg Baselitz) and Galerie Lelong (the Paris and New York–based gallery commanded attention with a bronze head by Jaume Plensa and expressionistic painting by Arnulf Rainer in the shape of a cross).
Below, find Galerie’s top picks from TEFAF 2026:
1. A Pissarro Returned to Its Rightful Owner
On view in Rosenberg & Co.’s booth full of gems (including a number of geometric abstract pieces by Gertrude Greene inspired by the Constructivists and artists like Piet Mondrian) was an elegant gouache on paper by Camille Pissarro. Made in 1881, Femmes au Tournant de la Route, or Rue de village avec trois paysannes causant à gauche (Valhermeil), has had a journey both remarkable and tumultuous. Purchased by Paul Rosenberg in 1939, the quaint rural scene with figures was stolen by the Nazis during the occupation of France. After decades, the piece was finally restituted to the Rosenberg Family heirs in 2025.
“We’re very happy with how the Collectors’ Preview is going so far,” said Marianne Rosenberg, the gallery’s founder. “There has been a steady stream of serious collectors who are really engaging with the works on display—returning for second looks, asking lots of questions, and generally seeming very enthusiastic.” The highlight for Rosenberg? The Pissarro painting found a new home, selling swiftly just hours after opening.
2. A TEFAF-Inspired Collier by Margot McKinney
The jewelry alone is worth a visit to TEFAF, if not to buy, then certainly to admire and daydream. Australian designer Margot McKinney stunned with a breathtaking collection featuring remarkable stones and ultra-rare pearls in a vibrant, painterly palette that immediately brought to mind the colorful tulips The Netherlands is known for.
Among the highlights from McKinney’s presentation was “Bloem,” a collier with Australian South Sea pearls, white and brown diamonds, blue, pink and purple sapphires, pink tourmalines, amethysts, and rubellites. “I designed this extraordinary collier with TEFAF firmly as inspiration,” McKinney said. “Springtime in The Netherlands is special, and the magnificent abundance of flora is so inspiring.” The colorful gemstones and pearls took almost a decade to collect. “Truly one of my favourite pieces and a family treasure and heirloom,” McKinney added.
3. Curated Crafts
“Our booth at TEFAF understands craft as a cultural movement; material-led, process-driven sculptural works that speak to our relationship with nature and our essential humanness,” exhibitor Sarah Myerscough shared. “In an age of AI, the creative impulse to make with our hands will create a new landscape within the arts.”
If her astute point were ever in question, Myerscough’s presentation would surely offer answers. The gallery staged a kind of ode to craft, celebrating contemporary artists who work in ancestral traditions, including Congolese artist Patrick Bongoy. Included in the booth was In the Wind (2026), a stunning piece made of rubber from recycled tire tubing that the artist braided into a remarkable kite-shaped wall piece, the heavy material contradicting the lightness the object would require to fly.
4. Australian Indigenous Masterpieces at D Lan Contemporary
A leader in modern and contemporary First Nations Australian artists, D Lan Contemporary impressed with a presentation of works from the 1970s to today that showcase the remarkable diversity and quality of Australian Indigenous art, including pieces by Emily Kam Kngwarray, Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, and Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula. Of particular note is the work by Papunya Tula art movement founder Tjupurrula, one of his first known paintings for sale for $96,000. Made with house paint and salvaged composition board, the piece contains a serpentine, black line weaving through white dots, a possible nod to ancestral legends of water and lightning.
5. Antiquities abound
Charles Ede staged a beautiful display of antiquities in conversation with paintings and drawings from the 17th to the 20th century. “The response to our presentation has been very encouraging—with our second year now showing fine art alongside antiquities, people are enthusiastic about the mix and are indulging themselves in both fields,” gallery director Charis Tyndall said. Among the ancient highlights were two beautifully sculpted, nude male torsos. Both Roman objects, the marble statues, epitomize the skill of ancient artists, as well as their particular affinity for celebrating youth, beauty, and the contours of the human body.
“The atmosphere at the fair is buoyant and enthusiastic—both from visitors and exhibiters, which means that not only are there exceptional works to be seen this year, but also that sales are being made,” Tyndall added. While several works have sold, dozens are still on offer at a wide price point, like a 1–3rd century AD Roman glass bottle available for the generous price of $1,000. On the higher end, buyers can expect larger pieces, like a remarkable statue of Artemis from the 4th century BC, available for $745,000.
6. Georg Baselitz at Maruani Mercier
A breathtaking Georg Baselitz nearly 13 feet wide by 10 feet tall drew gasps from at least a few visitors, myself included. Titled Immer Noch Unterwegs (Still on the Road) (2014), the monumental piece set two figures against a dark background, a thick bar painted across the entire piece bisecting their bodies along the waist. Rendered in expressive drips and brushstrokes, the figures exude anxiety, as if trapped by the bar.
7. An ethereal pairing of Thalita Hamaoui and Odilon Redon
“Someone described our booth as a palate cleanser,” New York dealer Marianne Boesky said. Indeed, while other dealers opted for maximalist displays, Boesky showcased a carefully curated selection of new paintings by the Brazilian artist Thalita Hamaoui. Inspired by Brazil and featuring fantastical landscapes of abundant, overgrowing flora in saturated, rich tones, the paintings were shown alongside dreamy works by the pre-Surrealist painter Odilon Redon. The thoughtful pairing offers a glimpse of how themes and imagery resonate across generations and art historical traditions.
“For TEFAF, we have developed a strategy of pairing renowned historic artists with artists from the gallery’s program,” Boesky shared. “For artists like Thalita—whose practice is so firmly grounded in art history, conceptually and formally—TEFAF offers an incredible opportunity to illustrate the themes and motifs that link painters to their artistic forebears. By making explicit the historic connective tissue within practices, we’re also able to bring contemporary art into the context of TEFAF.” Hamaoui’s work proved to be particularly appealing to collectors, with over ten paintings priced in the range of $16–60k USD selling in the first hours of the VIP preview.
8. A Cozy Fireplace
When Morentz plans its booth, the gallery and craft workshop starts with an architectural element to make the space feel like a home, the gallery shared. Elaborate architectural booth designs are common at TEFAF, and this year Morentz flexed its creative muscles with an intimate, chalet-inspired room complete with a cozy fireplace (though not lit during the fair, of course). Made of beautifully crafted hammered steel and copper, the Ugo Trevisan–designed piece commanded attention and offered a moment of respite for visitors spending hours exploring the booths.