BRAFA 2025: 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF ART AND ELEGANCE

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For seven decades, BRAFA has stood as a grand stage where history, culture, and innovation converge. As the prestigious art fair celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2025, it reaffirmed its place among the world’s most esteemed art events. This milestone edition, held in Brussels, drew an impressive 72,000 visitors, reflecting the fair’s enduring appeal to collectors, connoisseurs, and art lovers across generations and borders.

Under the leadership of Chairman Klaas Muller, BRAFA has continued to evolve while staying true to its core values of excellence, elegance, and conviviality. “We have built a loyal following among collectors in Belgium and neighboring countries, who share their enthusiasm with new audiences,” Muller remarked. This loyalty, coupled with an influx of younger gallery owners and a growing family-oriented attendance, underscores BRAFA’s ability to adapt to shifting market dynamics while maintaining its quality and exclusivity.

Despite concerns over a potential market slowdown, BRAFA 2025 defied expectations with remarkable sales and vibrant exchanges between exhibitors and buyers. The fair’s curatorial excellence shone through in its balanced mix of artistic disciplines, with ancient art experiencing a notable resurgence, thanks to the participation of prestigious international galleries such as COLNAGHI, DYS44 Lampronti Gallery, and Valerio Turchi.

This edition witnessed an extraordinary selection of masterpieces changing hands. Galerie Hioco (France) captivated collectors with a rare Laksminarayana sculpture from North India, dating back to the 10th-11th century, alongside a curated collection of contemporary Japanese ceramics. COLNAGHI secured an important sale with Profile study of the head of a man by Cornelis de Vos, acquired by the descendants of the famed Antwerp painter.

Belgium’s De Wit Fine Tapestries saw a flurry of interest, selling several historic works, including Parc à gibier avec rhinocéros from the 16th century. D’Arschot & Cie, a favorite among museum curators, successfully placed a Flemish silver Molenbeker from 1610-20 into a prestigious private collection. Meanwhile, Heutink Ikonen (Netherlands) delighted collectors with a suite of rare Russian icons, notably The Transfiguration of Christ, an 18th-century masterpiece displaying a fusion of Baroque and Rococo influences.

Across the fair, collectors pursued unique treasures with fervor, Lemaire (Belgium) sold exquisite Meissen and Chinese porcelain pieces, while Montagut Gallery (Spain) found buyers for its complete set of 15 gold ornaments from the Baule culture of Côte d’Ivoire. Claes Gallery (Belgium) garnered attention from major ethnographic museums for its striking Songye mask and Kota reliquary from Central Africa.

The allure of European painting was undeniable. Galerie Berès (France) secured the sale of Les Fées by Maurice Denis, a luminous work from the 1890s. Gustav Klimt’s Standing Nude, Hands on the Hips (1911) changed hands at Sylvia Kovacek Gallery (Austria), reinforcing BRAFA’s status as a premier destination for museum-quality artworks.

Belgian artists received a hero’s welcome at BRAFA 2025, with collectors eagerly acquiring their works. Galerie Oscar De Vos secured a significant sale with Emile Claus’ La faneuse (1896), while Thomas Deprez Fine Arts achieved a six-figure sum for Pieter-Jan Braecke’s marble sculpture L’Humanité. The sought-after Léon Spilliaert works at Patrick Derom Gallery ranged from €150,000 to over €1 million, proving the continued demand for Belgian masters.

The excitement extended to modern and contemporary pieces, with Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery selling several James Ensor paintings, and Harold t’Kint de Roodenbeke finding a collector for Pol Bury’s kinetic masterpiece 25 œufs sur un plateau (1969) at €70,000. The Collectors Gallery highlighted Belgian jewelry artistry, selling an avant-garde lapis lazuli brooch by André Lamy.

Beyond traditional fine art, BRAFA 2025 captivated audiences with its dedication to rare and extraordinary objects. Stone Gallery (Netherlands) made a stunning debut, presenting a towering woolly mammoth foreleg from the North Sea, while Galerie Marc Maison (France) fielded international bids for a Neo-Egyptian bed exhibited at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair.

In the world of design, Repetto Gallery (Switzerland) commanded attention with Fausto Melotti’s ceramic sculpture Gallo (1948), sold for €90,000. Robertaebasta (Italy/UK) delighted collectors with a stunning Stilnovo chandelier from the 1950s, showcasing mid-century Italian elegance.

BRAFA 2025 was a remarkable celebration of art, history, and craftsmanship, drawing collectors, curators, and enthusiasts from around the world. With an eclectic mix of works spanning centuries and cultures, this milestone edition reaffirmed BRAFA’s reputation as a premier destination for art lovers. The fair’s ability to bridge generations, welcome fresh talent, and foster genuine connections made this anniversary edition one to remember. As the curtain closes on this vibrant event, anticipation is already building for BRAFA 2026, promising yet another chapter in this ever-evolving art journey.