Eurantica art fair opens in Brussels

The annual fine arts fair attracts vendors from around Europe who trade in collectibles of all stripes: paintings, sculptures, furniture, jewellery, textiles, tapestries, tools and weapons. Eurantica doesn’t specialise in one style but encompasses the whole spectrum of the fine arts. It’s a sprawling affair, with 125 dealers exhibiting their wares over 10,000 square metres.

You’ll find pieces from every continent from East to West and every historical period from antiquity to the present – a particularly Belgian approach, according to exhibition manager Luc Darte. “Belgium’s reputation is based on eclecticism,” he says. “We were the first to mix up art from different places and periods, and now all of Europe is catching on.”

Despite its scope, this isn’t a kitchen sink affair. Every single item on display has been vetted by a panel of 25 international experts, three of whom remain on-call throughout the duration of the fair. This, coupled with the inclusion of many (relatively) affordable pieces, is intended to get the public at large involved in buying a good piece of art.

The fair also serves as a proving ground for young, aspiring collectors, who use the occasion to network with trade professionals and make a smart acquisition or three.

This year’s theme is “Brussels”. In celebration of the capital’s rich artistic history, Claire Leblanc of the Museum van Elsene has curated the special exhibition Dreaming Brussels, featuring original works on loan from the museum’s collection and that of BNP Paribas Fortis.
14-23 March at Brussels Expo
www.eurantica.be