MAASTRICHT, THE NETHERLANDS.- Italian and French Masters are particularly well presented at TEFAF 2005 with Nicolas Poussin, Jacopo Tintoretto, Andrea del Sarto and Gianlorenzo Bernini on show. Among the most important Dutch and Flemish Old Masters, the Fair offers three portraits by Jan Lievens and a head of a young African by Rubens. A Reveillon wallpaper room from a French chateau and an exceptional lady’s cabinet dressing table, designed by Sheraton and made for Queen Maria Luisa de Parma of Spain, are a couple of the outstanding works of art. Works by Gustave Moreau, Aristide Maillol, Juan Miró, Tamara de Lempicka, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Jean-Michel Basquiat are also at the Fair. The eighteenth TEFAF Maastricht opens on Friday 4 March and runs until Sunday 13 March at the MECC, Maastricht.

Among the top pieces at TEFAF Maastricht 2005 is a pair of early mythological paintings by Nicolas Poussin, Apollo & Daphne and The Death of Eurydice,from the Cassiano dal Pozzo collection, on offer from Di Robilant-Voena, London/Milan. A fascinating and extremely rare portrait by the renowned 17th century Italian sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini of his brother Domenico, one of the very few paintings by Bernini known to exist, is on the stand of Salander-O’Reilly, New York. Moretti, Florence, shows an outstanding selection of early 14th to 16th century Italian paintings, including four panels from a devotional piece by Taddeo Gaddi (1300 – 1366). Two stunning early portraits of elderly men by Jan Lievens are on the stand of Johnny van Haeften, London, and Salomon Lilian, Amsterdam. The third portrait by Jan Lievens, of a young man, is on offer from Richard Green, London. Galerie Sanct Lucas, Vienna, has an oil on panel of A Doctor attending a Pregnant Lady by Jan Steen (1629 – 1679) while Jean-Luc Baroni, London, shows Head of a Young African by Rubens, which was a model for King Balthasar in the Adoration of the Magi, that hangs in the Prado, Madrid.

An elaborate lady’s cabinet dressing table, circa 1792, designed by Sheraton (1751-1806) and commissioned by Queen Maria Luisa de Parma of Spain is on the stand of López de Aragón, Madrid. The piece, made of several woods, is an outstanding example of intricate craftmanship. A portrait of the Spanish Queen is on the stand of Caylus, Madrid. Segoura Antiquaires, Paris, presents an exceptional desk, unusually veneered with mother of pearl and gilt silver leaves, designed by the German cabinetmaker working in Paris, Johann August Nahl. One of the very few complete sets of French late 18th-century wallpaper panels that have survived, is on view at Pelham Galleries, London. The panels were originally in the Grand Salon at Chateau La Trousse, France. Vanderven & Vanderven Oriental Art, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, are showing an exceptionally rare pare of Chinese porcelain double gourd vases, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Five similar examples were in the collection of Augustus the Strong, one of which remains in the Porzellansammlung, Dresden.

In the Antiquities section, new dealer Rupert Wace Ancient Art, London, brings an exquisite lifesize Roman marble statue of Paris with his distinctive Phrygian cap, circa 2nd century AD and Charles Ede, London, has a Roman mosaic panel, depicting the Personifaction of Spring, from the same period.

Dr. Jörn Günther-Antiquariat, Hamburg, offers around 80 leaves with highly artistic miniatures from Italy and Northern Europe, dating from the 13th to the 16th century, from the renowned Robert Lehman Collection. It is one of the very few surviving collections of manuscript paintings in private hands that were created before the Second World War. Until recently the collection was on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

In the Modern Art section Acquavella Galleries, New York, returns with three Lucian Freuds and an early Seurat and Braque, whereas new exhibitor Galerie Karsten Greve, Cologne, brings Cy Twombly, Louise Bourgeois and Lucio Fontana. Marlborough Galerie, Zurich/London, brings two Francis Bacons, one of which is Study for Portrait from the Pope series, asking price around $11.5 million. Gallery Delaive, Amsterdam, shows a full length portrait of the American boxer Sugar Ray Robinson by Jean-Michel Basquiat, on sale for $3 million.