As every year, the largest international art and antiques fair TEFAF in Maastricht has once again made the art world lose its head. This year it attracted more than 50,000 visitors – from collectors with strong nerves to museum curators who seem to be able to estimate the value of exhibits at several million in one minute. The event, which was a resounding success, proved once again that art can still sell faster than the trendiest gadgets. Sellers of old masters, contemporary art and designer chairs were all in favour this year.
And of course, everyone goes to Maastricht for the flowers, which dominate the design of the fair and are unparalleled in their freshness and variety. In 2025, ‘Ten Kate Flowers & Decorations’ designed TEFAF Maastricht for the 13th time, transforming the exhibition space into a work of art in itself.
The centrepiece of the design was a soaring dome of seasonal flowers. Thin wires with tubes filled with tulips, daffodils and ranunculus created a weightless effect, giving guests a sense of joy and harmony. The same floral motifs were repeated in the exhibition halls, uniting the décor into a single composition. Lilacs, magnolias and willow trees were also used in the scenography of the art fair. ‘Ten Kate Flowers & Decorations’ floral arrangements accompanied not only the exhibition but also TEFAF’s landmark events, including dinners at St. Gerlach, Hotel Kruisheren and Château Neercanne. Preparations for the new project begin immediately after the previous exhibition: the team tries out different compositions, striving for the perfect result. What’s amazing: throughout TEFAF, the florists take care of the flowers on a daily basis to ensure that they remain fresh and spectacular until the finale.
In Amsterdam’s ‘Aronson Gallery’, the luxurious porcelain bouquets of our favourite Anna Volkova in Delft vases (the gallery specialises in Delft porcelain) look as if they have descended from Flemish and Dutch still lifes. The artist’s floral compositions are inspired by the paintings of Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573-1621).
In the jewellery section, richer than ever in 2025, one of the highlights of the art fair was Australian jeweller Margot McKinney and her fountain (TEFAF’s first ever security-conscious fountain). The giant green beryl, aquamarine, tourmaline and pearls she uses from Australian farmer Aji Ellies Wimilirantna are such kitsch that the Margot necklace and fountain spills over into high art. The necklace is inspired by the Great Barrier Reef, and the arrangement of stones is reminiscent of the colours of the shimmering tropical waters of the Coral Sea.
A lost portrait of a Ghanaian prince by Klimt has become a sensation at TEFAF Maastricht 2025.
The main star of TEFAF Maastricht 2025 is a rare portrait of Ghanaian Prince William Nii Nortey Dawn, painted by Gustav Klimt in 1897. The painting, thought to have been lost since 1938, has been rediscovered and presented by Vienna’s Wienerroither & Kohlbacher Gallery.
This portrait is the only known depiction of a black man in Klimt’s oeuvre. The work was kept by the artist until his death. The painting was last exhibited in Vienna in 1928 at the request of its owner Ernestina Klein. As a Jew, she was forced to leave Vienna in 1938 when the Nazis invaded Austria and took refuge in Monaco. Upon her return, she discovered that her artwork had been stolen. In 2021, the Austrian couple brought the painting to the gallery, although it was in very poor condition at the time, but had a stamp from the artist’s estate. Alfred Weidinger, an expert on Klimt’s work, confirmed that it was indeed a work by the artist that had been sought for years.
Experts call the painting a milestone in Klimt’s creative development. The realistic style, the carefully detailed texture of the leather and the light floral motifs in the background anticipate his iconic decorative compositions. In an era of redefining art and the representation of black people, this discovery takes on a special historical significance.
TEFAF once again confirmed its status as a key event for the global museum community, bringing together some 500 leading institutions in search of rare masterpieces. Accompanied by patrons and collectors, representatives of major museums and galleries scrutinised the exhibition in an effort to add exceptional works of art to their collections. Among the guests were leading curators, art historians and directors of prestigious cultural institutions, for whom TEFAF remains a major arena of discovery and inspiration.
