07/01/2002
by Matilde Marzotto

The first European art fair of 2002 runs until the 13^th of January in Monaco. The Monte Carlo International Fine Art & Antiques Fair, is relatively new on the fair calendar, now in its second year. Sponsored by Crédit Foncier de Monaco, one of the most important banks in the Principality, as well as support from Prince Ranieri III, the fair is being staged in the luxurious Grimaldi Forum, a billion dollar (€ 1,1 billion) congress centre opened in July 2000 on the seafront in Monaco. For about ten days the halls host an exhibition open to the public that includes Old Master paintings, furniture, jewellery, Oriental works and, for the first time, modern and contemporary works of art.

Contemporary art will be given increased attention from now on with a sizeable increase in stands from 2003. By including modern and contemporary art, Michel Pastor, president of the Grimaldi Forum and member of the honorary Committee of the Fair, commented to daily gabrius his intention of widening the choice of buyers at the fair.

Twentieth Century art is represented by three galleries based in the Principality. Le Point is exhibiting Cavalli sulla spiaggia (1929-30) by Giorgio de Chirico (1888–1978), a subject similar to that of the painting sold by Sotheby’s, Milan on the 27^th of November, 2001 for $ 148,150 (€ 166,270). Guy Heytens gallery is offering Vue du quai du Louvre, an oil on canvas by Robert Delaunay (1885–1941) valued around $ 116,500, (€ 130,000) and L’atelier de la rue Séguier (1909), a work by Raoul Dufy (1877–1953) bearing a price tag of $ 170,300 (€ 190,000) is also on show. The GAM gallery is presenting Monte Carlo vu de Roquebrune, a sketch by Claude Monet, and La voix du sang, a gouache by René Magritte from 1948. The Marlborough Gallery, having opened its new premises in Monte Carlo in 2000, has Matisse como pretesto VII, by the Spanish artist Manolo Valdés, whose paintings are quoted around $ 448,240 (€ 500,000) on the international market. Still in the field of new trends, the presence of the Spectrum Art Gallery from Bratislava is an absolute novelty for the fair, exhibiting work from contemporary Slovakian artists. Curator Serge Mirarchi commented: "this space is dedicated to different artistic disciplines, not only to painting - but also to sculpture, to bronze and ceramic works".

Antiques of course figure more sizeably at the fair. There are about thirty Old Master galleries, selected by a special Committee made up by Piero Corsini, Jean Gismondi, Adriano Ribolzi and Carlo Teardo, each well known internationally. These dealers also make up a team of experts, vetting the works for approval at the fair. Among the galleries specialised in Old Master paintings: Piero Corsini’s Maison d’Art Antiquaria (Monte Carlo) is presenting Agonia in giardino, an oil on canvas by Tintoretto (1519–1594), with provenance from the collection of the Irish collector James A. Murnaghan, valued at $ 374,300 (€ 420,000). The Galérie d’Art Saint Honoré, Paris who specialise in Flemish and Dutch paintings from the 16^th and 17^th century, have a splendid Nature morte au verre de vin by Pieter Claesz (1597 ca.–1661), and are presenting Allégorie de l’Eté by Marten Van Valckenborch the Elder (1534/35–1612), quoted at $ 888,360 (€ 900,900), and Les Quatre Eléments dans un paysage forestier $ 492,000, (€ 548,800), an oil on panel by the Flemish artist Abraham Govaert (1589–1626) in collaboration with his pupil Ambrosius Francken II (1590 ca.–1632). Among the other galleries specialised in Old Master paintings, there are Adriano Ribolzi (Monte Carlo), Bruno Cooper (Norwich) and Paolo Sprovieri (Rome).