TEFAF 2016 | The European Fine Art Fair Maastricht | Art & Antiques Fair | MECC

TEFAF 2016 | Art & Antiques Fair Maastricht

Every spring for 25 years now, it’s been an annual tradition to visit TEFAF in Maastricht (Netherlands). I remember my very first time like it was yesterday. It was back in 1990, and it was a true feast for the eyes that managed to leave a lasting impression on me.
In this blog item, we pay a little visit to TEFAF 2016 in Maastricht (MECC). It’s safe to say that this annual event is something that people the world over are eager to visit.

This edition, I was in the company of several students Woodcarving. And what a pleasant and educational day it was!

Visit the TEFAF in Maastricht | Patrick Damiaens

TEFAF 2016

TEFAF Maastricht is without a doubt the most prestigious art fair in Europe. This art and antiques fair is visited by art lovers from all over the world. During the fair, which is traditionally held at the MECC (Exhibition and Congress Centre) in Maastricht, a wide variety of art forms are presented and sold.

From 11 to 20 March 2016, the MECC in Maastricht is transformed into the world’s leading art fair, TEFAF. Because TEFAF is such a trend-setting event, it can count itself among the most renowned art fairs in the world. That is why the fair manages to attract tens of thousands of visitors from home and abroad each year.

The European Fine Art Fair Maastricht | TEFAF 2016

All relevant information on TEFAF Maastricht 2016 can be found in the short summary below. You will find information regarding the location, opening hours, entrance fees, accessibility, etc.

Since 1975, every year, Maastricht becomes home to the European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF). As the name already suggests, this fair is all about art. During the fair, a clear distinction is made between the different art forms. Every art form is put on display in its own section, with 9 sections in total. All forms of art are featured at the fair, ranging from statues to paintings and so much more.

TEFAF is especially renowned for its amazing display of antique works of art and has managed to carve out a name for itself in the art world. TEFAF is spread out over a surface of 31.000 square meters, which harbours approximately 35.000 art pieces that are “up for grabs”.

Every year, the fair can count on nearly 100.000 enthusiastic visitors, of which nearly half come from abroad: a clear indication of its worldwide fame! The fair has a very exclusive character, which doesn’t allow just any art gallery or art merchant to put things on display. Only the most prominent galleries and merchants make an appearance at this event.

MECC

TEFAF 2016

The fair is held at the MECC, which is short for Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre.
The entrance fee for TEFAF amounts to € 40 per person. If you would like a catalogue of the entire art exhibition, the price goes up to € 60 per person. For visitors who plan to visit TEFAF for several days, the season ticket might be a good option. For a total of € 100, this gives you unlimited access to the event for its entire duration.

The following is a short photo report on TEFAF 2016, with some of the lovely objects and art pieces, which I’ve managed to capture on film for you.

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Alberto Di Castro Roma | Tefaf 2016

Röbbig München | Tefaf 2016

Antiques La Mésangère, Liege (B)

Antiques La Mésangère, Liege (B)

Galerie J.Kugel

Theo Daatselaar Fine Arts & Antiques | Tefaf 2016

Richard Redding Antiques Ltd

Kunsthandel Peter Mühlbauer

Antiques, Mallett, London

https://www.patrickdamiaens.info

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Rolandus-Hagedoorn Family COAT OF ARMS carved in limewood | Netherlands | A Coat of Arms-Crest carved in wood, painted and gilded

Rolandus-Hagedoorn Family COAT OF ARMS carved in limewood

Carving Heraldic family coats of arms in wood

As a woodcarver, one of my specialties is the carving of Heraldic family coats of arms and Crests in wood. To carve a family coat of arms in wood is a bit of a personal challenge for me. Heraldry is a most interesting subject and I always look forward to taking on new assignments involving heraldic Coat of Arms.

You learn about interesting people that captivate the imagination, all of whom have their own fascinating life story or family history. And for me personally, it’s always nice to hear that my craftsmanship and quality are greatly appreciated.

Every heraldic coat of arms is different. Most of the time, it starts with an example that serves as a source of inspiration in the form of a drawing, an old sketch or some photographic material delivered to me by the client.
In some cases it occurs that the design for the family coat of arms is not entirely suited as the blueprint for the carving of it in wood. 

This might be due to the fact that the design is in a format which is a lot smaller than what the client had in mind (e.g. a large heraldic panel), in which case the family coat of arms has to be redesigned. If one were to simply enlarge the small design, the proportions or the composition of the design would be distorted.

Usually things have to be added to the composition in order to make better use of the available space. It might also be that there is no logic to how the mantling was arranged, and it’s entirely possible that the design was never meant to be carried out in wood. After all, wood has its limitations.

It is equally important that the relief fits the dimensions of the coat of arms.
We always try to resolve these small and sometimes larger issues together with the client.

The Rolandus-Hagedoorn family coat of arms

Barred helmets: of Dutch origin – in three-quarter view - the use of two helmets reflects the influence of German nobility.

The wreath: in the colours of the mantling – has the same function as the crown, namely keeping the mantling in place.

The crown: golden headgear, decorated with gemstones – three leafs and two pearls are set on the tips of the crown – the sign of a count.

The helmetsign-crest: on the right: Hagedoorn (Hawthorn) – on the left: Rolandus 

Mantling: on the right: silver and vert (green) – on the left: silver and gules

Shield: the design originates from the 15th-16th century. A triple crown tree (hawthorn) in its natural colour against a silver background and a knight in suit of armour (Rolandus) against a gules background and a silver snake against an azure (blue) background.

The Rolandus-Hagedoorn family lives in the Netherlands and the family history dates all the way back to 900 AD. The dimensions of the coat of arms are 90 x 85 cm. It is carved in limewood and is emblazoned in its proper tinctures.

Patrick Damiaens, Heraldic Woodcarver

Carving a coat of arms in limewood, various stages.

Drawing the design of the coat of arms on to the wood

Sawing the mantling in wood

Carving a heraldic coat of arms of wood

Modelling the mantling, limewood

Carving the helmet and crest in limewood

  

Helmet and Crest (limewood)

The shield of the coat of arms, limewood

The shield, carved in limewood

The coat of arms in limewood ,finished

Applying the heraldic colors

Family Crest - coat of arms carved in limewood

Family crest Rolandus Hagedoorn, limewood

Family coat of arms carved in wood

https://www.patrickdamiaens.info

GRAVESTEIN | Carving a HERALDIC COAT OF ARMS into a wooden panel | GRAVESTEIN Family coat of arms carved in wood

One of my specialties is the carving of Heraldic family coat of arms in wood. To carve a family coat of arms in wood is a bit of a personal challenge for me. Heraldry is a most interesting subject and I always look forward to taking on new assignments involving heraldic coat of arms and crests.

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Gravestein Family coat of arms carved into an oak panel.

A little while ago, I was contacted by the Gravestein Family from the region of Rotterdam (NL). They were no strangers to me, seeing as last year I already had the pleasure of carving a family coat of arms for this congenial family. When they came to pick up the last assignment, a reproduction of a miniature family coat of arms, they were so pleased with the result they promptly commissioned me to create a large wooden panel/cartouche with the family name and coat of arms. 

The assignment was to carve the family coat of arms in oak and to apply heraldic colours. The thought behind it was to hang the panel at the entrance of their home, right next to the doorbell. The Gravestein design and font type on the panel were designed by the master of the house.  It’s something I always find quite special, the interaction between the client and the craftsman. This helps give a more personal touch to the assignment.

Our inspiration for this blog item was a miniature heraldic family coat of arms in wood for the Gravestein Family.
 

miniature heraldic family coat of arms in wood

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The Gravestein Family

 
The family tree of the Gravestein family dates back to 1662 in Overschie (near Rotterdam, in the Netherlands), with the marriage of Ary Arientse Gravesteijn and Maertie Claes Euvergaeuw on 7 December 1662.
Via peregrinations through Vlissingen, Middelburg and Zutphen, the grandparents of the client ended up in The Hague.
When the original heraldic coat of arms came into the possession of this family isn’t entirely clear, but what is known for certain is that in 1887 the miniature coat of arms was already in the possession of the family.
The father of the client had research done by the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden as to the origins of the coat of arms.
The museum was able to discover that the coat of arms first belonged to a French aristocrate who had conceived an illigitimate child in Switzerland with a maid.
That would account for the diagonal beam on the coat of arms, as this indicates the lineage of a bastard child.
The heraldic colours are red, indicated by the vertical lines inside the two beams, and green, indicated by the hooked diagonal lines inside the beams. The bird on the shield and the helmet could refer to the recognition of a fourth son.
That concludes the short presentation of the Gravestein family.

Here are some pictures
Gravestein Coat of Arms carved into a wooden panel
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Gravestein family coat of arms

Family Gravestein coat of arms on a wooden panel

Modelling the wooden coat of arms

Carving a heraldic coat of arms

Gravestein Family coat of arms

Carving a HERALDIC COAT OF ARMS  into a wooden panel

Gravestein Family coat of arms 
carved into an oak panel.

https://www.patrickdamiaens.info