COLLECT (2025)

22/10/2025

Dagoty porcelain, produced in Paris in the early 19th century, is renowned for its elegant shapes, colourful decorations and distinctive gilding technique. A few years ago, Pascal Di Egidio, heir to a family of merchants who had established themselves in the centre of Brussels under the name L'Egide and specialised in 19th-century ceramics, opened the Dagoty auction house, nowadays specialising in comic strips, toys and synthetic diamonds, naming it after the prestigious Parisian factory. This was inspired by the family's passion for European ceramics, particularly French porcelain, which experienced a boom at the beginning of the 19th century. Dagoty was one of the most prestigious players in the porcelain market at the time, with a rare feature inherited from Dihl et Guérhard: the inside of objects, mostly cups, was covered in gold, while the outside featured rich and varied decorations in different shades of gold and dark colours. These pieces are highly sought after by collectors, who view acquiring Dagoty ceramics as an investment in fragile yet prestigious heritage. The condition of a piece obviously affects its market value. However, rarity of shape can compensate for cracks or damage in terms of price. “I would recommend focusing on one type of object at first, such as cups,” advises Pascal Di Egidio.

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'The appeal of a Dagoty' by Christophe Dosogne

📷1: Dagoty, zoomorphic teapot in Paris porcelain, early 19th century, height: 15,24 cm. Hubert Guerrand-Hermès Collection, Sotheby’s, Paris, 18 December 2023. © Sotheby’s Art Digital Studio. Price: € 1.651
📷2: Porcelain tableware from Paris (Dagoty), with Nanking background, ca. 1810, Christie’s, London, 20 May 2021. © Christie’s Images Ltd. Price: € 7.957
📷3: Cup in the shape of a natural swan, early 19th century, biscuit without glaze on the outside and gold on the inside, Manufacture de Dagoty, Paris, Hôtel des Ventes de Nation, Paris, 12-12-2015. © Hôtel des Ventes de Nation. Price: €280

20/10/2025

Although they do not yet have the economic power to turn the art market upside down, very young collectors are already changing the rules and redefining the role of the collector. Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) are not guided by speculative logic and view collecting as a means of engaging with culture and politics. This change in perspective means that collecting is now about sharing rather than accumulation. There has been a noticeable shift from ownership to relationships. Gen Z takes openness and plurality even further. Their broad curiosity, their willingness to break down boundaries between media and their appreciation of diversity all indicate that this generation rejects rigid boundaries. This is reflected in the approach of EDJI Gallery, founded in 2023 to support emerging Belgian and international artists. “Ignoring Gen Z means cutting yourself off from those who will determine tomorrow's trends,” says Ranji Safarian of EDJI Gallery. This change is already evident at major international art fairs, with Art Basel being the most notable example – an event that young collectors now consider to be an absolute must. "Art Basel is an unmissable event. It is the ultimate reference for developing your eye and discovering emerging artists," says 27-year-old collector Axel Geerts.

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'The silent revolution of Gen Z' by Gwennaëlle Gribaumontgribaumont

from 24-10 till 26-10

📷1: Work by Stefano Bonacci. Collection of Axel Geerts. © the artist. With permission from Axel Geerts.

15/10/2025

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) was a giant. Everything he created was grand, spectacular, innovative and unprecedented. It was not without reason that his contemporaries called him 'Il Divino'. He was a sculptor, painter, draftsman, architect and poet. Time and again, he amazed his contemporaries with his originality and the unprecedented power of his visual language. The 600 surviving drawings are the key to his creativity. Michelangelo drew in preparation for everything he created. Teylers Museum in Haarlem owns 22 of these drawings, which are highlights of the museum's collection and are now on display together with forty loans from international collections in the unique exhibition 'Michelangelo's Men'. Men almost always play the leading role in Michelangelo's art. Their naked, muscular bodies fascinated the artist endlessly. He loved them. However, Michelangelo also depicted the Libyan Sibyl with a muscular physique, eventually painting her on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Even through her dress, masculine forms can be discerned. In the past, some art historians concluded from depictions like this that Michelangelo considered the female body to be inferior. However, we now appreciate the androgynous figures and gender-fluid bodies in his art. The exhibition features a marble statue by Michelangelo that is on display in the Netherlands for the first time: the 'Apollo-David', on loan from the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence.

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'Michelangelo was fond of men' by Bernadette van der Goes

'Michelangelo's men' from 15-10 till 25-01

📷1: Michelangelo Buonarroti, Figure study for an ignudo (n**e) for the Sistine Chapel, c. 1511, red chalk on paper, 27.9 x 21.4 cm. Haarlem, Teylers Museum.
📷2: Michelangelo Buonarroti, 'Apollo-David', c. 1530, marble, height: 146 cm. Florence, Museo Nazionale del Bargello.

13/10/2025

The Italian term 'soffiati' refers to a type of transparent, thin-walled, blown glass produced in Murano in the early 20th century. After the First World War, Andrea Rioda, Giacomo Cappellin and Paolo Venini founded a new glassworks company called Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Cappellin Venini & Co. The company launched a production line consisting of designs based on Rioda's early model books and new models designed by Vittorio Zecchin. Zecchin reduced the models to their purest essence, stripping them of unnecessary embellishments. Although considered modern and innovative at the time, the forms were stylistically based on older styles of glass, but were executed using more malleable types of glass in subtle new colours. The soffiati were a commercial success, and their production was quickly followed en masse by other glass producers in Murano. These objects represent a significant milestone in the history of glass production in Murano. Their simple forms reflect a specific and fleeting image of the times — an important criterion for any collection.

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'Soffiati and the modernism that no one saw coming' by Marc Heiremans

📷1: Glassware, ca. 1925–30. Left: anonymous, 24 cm x 29,5 cm; right: Compagnia Venezia Murano.
📷2: S.I.V.A. (Società Industrie Vetrerie Artistiche), height: 35 cm, ca. 1933; Compagnia Venezia Murano, height: 32 cm, 1925-28 and Pauly & C., 1930, 18 cm x 29 cm.
📷3: Andrea Rioda, ca. 1917-19. The first signs of innovation, simplified classical forms but still based on 16th-century glass.

10/10/2025

Two years after the death of the Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is honouring him with an exhibition. The internationally renowned photographer was diagnosed with emphysema in 1996. Shirley den Hartog, director of the Erwin Olaf Studio, confirms that Olaf was more aware of his mortality than the average person. "After the diagnosis, he decided to stop taking on commercial projects and focused on art. He wanted to go on location and pushed his boundaries until the very end.” She believes that his work is unlikely to become dated any time soon. “Erwin is known for his staged, directed photography. But sometimes he worked impulsively, reacting spontaneously to current events. I didn't always share his level of activism. Now I realise that his intuition was spot on." Charl Landvreugd is the curator of the Erwin Olaf exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum. "I wanted to create an exhibition that showcases Erwin Olaf's artistry. It shows how his craftsmanship has developed over the years. The exhibition reveals this development and ends with his latest works, characterised by brilliant simplicity, whose technical mastery is so perfect that you think, 'This simply cannot be true. How did you manage to create this?'" Personal freedom was Erwin Olaf's driving force, something he always fought for, often furiously. Hence the title of the exhibition: Freedom.

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'Personal freedom of Erwin Olaf' by Ben Herremans

'Erwin Olaf. Freedom' from 11-10 until 01-03

📷1: Erwin Olaf, 'Self-Portrait, I Will Be', 2009. © Estate Erwin Olaf. Courtesy of Galerie Ron Mandos, Amsterdam.
📷2: Erwin Olaf, 'April fool 11.30 am', 2020, 80 x 60 cm. © Estate of Erwin Olaf. Courtesy of Galerie Ron Mandos, Amsterdam.
📷3: Erwin Olaf, 'Palm Springs, The Kite, Still Life', 2018, video still. © Estate Erwin Olaf. Courtesy of Galerie Ron Mandos, Amsterdam.

08/10/2025

One of the greatest mysteries of 17th-century Dutch painting is the artist who signed his works with the initials I.S. Nobody knows who is behind these astonishing paintings, which were created around the same time as those of Rembrandt. Art historians have long been fascinated by this enigmatic figure, whose body of work is estimated to comprise twenty-five to thirty paintings, and who is now considered to be part of the Rembrandt school. It is thought that he lived and worked in Leiden for a period, and that he had contacts in Amsterdam with merchants trading with countries around the Baltic Sea. However, there are still no written documents known to exist about the artist's identity and personal life. Master I.S. was an excellent painter, with great empathy and keen observational skills, and he depicted people with intense attention to detail. In his paintings of tronies, Master I.S. surpasses his Dutch contemporaries in terms of realism. 'Man with a Growth on His Nose' is painted so realistically that it evokes emotions of horror and compassion. An exhibition of his most important paintings is now on display at Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden.

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'Who was Master I.S.?' by Bernadette van der Goes

'Meesterlijke Mysterie. Over Rembrandts raadselachtige tijdgenoot' in Leiden from 11-10 until 08-03

📷 1: Master I.S., 'Portrait of an Old Woman', 1651, oil on panel, 41 x 33 cm. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum.
📷 2: Master I.S., 'Man with a Growth on His Nose', 1645, oil on panel, 48 x 37 cm. Stockholm, Nationalmuseum.

06/10/2025

For the past sixteen years, car enthusiasts have flocked to Knokke-Heist at the beginning of October for the Zoute Grand Prix. Alongside the classic rally and events, as well as the well-established BonhamsICars auction, this year will see the first auction by American company Broad Arrow Auctions. “The car market is a relatively young market. It was not until the 1970s that the first brand clubs were established and people started to see collector's vehicles as a recreational activity,” explains Leo Van Hoorick, curator at Autoworld in Brussels. Since 2005 in particular, cars have functioned as an investment. One difficulty in collecting cars is restoration. "Just like in the art market, the car must be in perfect condition. However, the cost of a full restoration can sometimes exceed the value of the car itself," says Alex Verstraete of BonhamsICars. Unlike art, cars are strongly linked to a particular generation. Many collectors are guided by childhood nostalgia when making purchases. A relatively new market segment is hypercars. These cars cannot be ordered; they are usually only available to purchase after a whole series of other cars of the same brand have been purchased. Over the past ten years, the Zoute Grand Prix has grown to become one of the most important events in the European car market.

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'Driven by sentiment' by Elien Haentjens

from 08 till 12-10 at Knokke-Heist

InterClassics Brussels from 14 till 16-11
German Tuners from the '80s and the '90s until 14-12

📷1: Abarth ‘Boano 207A’, no. 8, 1955, estimation: € 250.000-350.000. © Broad Arrow Auctions.
📷2: BMW ‘2002 Turbo’, 1974, estimation: € 80.000-130.000, no reserve. © Broad Arrow Auctions.
📷3: Range Rover ‘3.5’, 1975, from the collection of Alain Delon and Bernard Fornas, auctioned in Knokke-Heist. Estimation: € 100.000-130.000. © Bonhams Cars.

03/10/2025

Francisco de Goya's career as an artist is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable of all time. His talent for drawing became apparent at an early age, but he spent a long time training and did not devote himself entirely to painting until he was around forty. From the mocking smiles of the pert young ladies in his early works, to the sombre self-portrait at the end of his life; from the cold rigidity of an aristocrat, to the unfathomable misery of the impoverished: throughout his career, Goya continued to paint faces, exploring the ever-changing nature of the human soul. In this sense, he was one of the greatest masters of all time, as well as a precursor of Romanticism, Expressionism and Modernism. The painter ventured into unprecedented poses, his touch remaining subtle for a long time but becoming sharper with age. He became increasingly tormented by the violence humans are capable of, even outside of external conflicts. The direct impact of Goya's engravings stems not only from the horror of their subject matter, but also from the power of the artistic techniques used to create them. All eyes are on Goya at the major exhibition at Bozar, which is part of the 40th edition of Europalia which puts the rich culture of Spain in the spotlight.

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'All eyes on Goya' by Anne Hustache

'Luz y sombra. Goya and Spanish Realism'
from 08-10 till 12-01
from 08-10 till 01-02

📷 1: Francisco de Goya, fragment of 'The Parasol', 1777, oil on canvas, 104 x 152 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado, Inv. P000773.
📷 2: Francisco de Goya, fragment of 'Still Life with Ribs and a Lamb's Head', 1808-1812, oil on canvas, 45 x 62 cm. Paris, Musée du Louvre, Inv. RF 1937-120.
📷 3: Francisco de Goya, 'The Dog', 1819-1823, oil on plaster transferred to canvas, 131,5 x 79,3 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado, inv. Gassier-Wilson 1621.

01/10/2025

When we think of art and artificial intelligence (AI), we tend to think of artists who use it in their work. However, there is another, more subtle application of AI that is becoming increasingly important and could significantly impact the art market in the long term. Thanks to its phenomenal computing power, AI can synthesise vast amounts of data, helping us to understand collective behaviour, interpret market developments and sentiments, and detect new correlations related to an increase in market value. At art fairs, many visitors now use an app on their smartphone to estimate the price of the artworks they see. At TEFAF, AI plays a subtle yet essential role in the 'vetting' process. Art Recognition is an innovative, AI-based technology that can identify an artist's “visual DNA” based on photographs of authenticated works. AI is also making its way into other sectors of the art world, such as curatorship. For instance, ChatGPT acted as curator for the exhibition 'Art & Language: Entretien avec un humoriste obéissant', displayed last summer at the Château de Montsoreau in France. While AI and fairs will undoubtedly make the art market more transparent, faster and more global, they will also make it more dependent on algorithmic logic. While this will undoubtedly lead to significant efficiency gains, it also raises the crucial question: will art remain a realm of unpredictability and emotion, or will it evolve into a streamlined market akin to the financial world?

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'AI, artistic intelligence? by Gilles Bechet

📷1: Louise Bourgeois, 'Sans Titre', 1945, ink on paper, recto/verso, 270 x 210 mm. Sold for CHF 28.000, November 2024, at Germann Auctions, Zurich. Authenticated with Art Recognition.
📷2: Vetting during Tefaf 2025. Photo: Jitske Nap.

29/09/2025

In his work, Hadrien Bruaux (°1991, Namen) explores the boundaries between the present and the past, questioning what the future may hold. “History is mainly written by winners,” he says. “That’s one of the reasons why I like to highlight everyday objects that no one pays attention to.” The act of collecting plays a central role in his work. He finds discarded objects on the street or at the end of the flea market on Vossenplein. In his series 'Les règnes invisibles' (2021–2025), Bruaux translates his philosophy into sculptures, some of which were on display at ISELP in Brussels. The series consists of newly composed artefacts encased in a glass display case. “Inspired by a museum context, the display case raises questions about the preciousness of the object and its preservation over time. In this way, I explore what we preserve and what we do not, and the image this will give of our time in the future,” says Bruaux. In recent years, he has delved deeply into the philosophy surrounding images, our relationship with them, and our desired relationship with them. “Based on the idea of 'seeing is believing', images play an incredibly important role. With my work, I therefore want to encourage viewers to look actively. I provide elements or words, but never explain exactly what they are seeing. They have to create their own story from the pieces of the puzzle, rather than simply passively consuming an image.”

Hadrien Bruaux is of our
interview by Elien Haentjens

📷1: Portrait by
📷2: Hadrien Bruaux, 'Les règnes invisibles', 2021, Edition 3, sculpture, mixed media. © the artist.
📷3: Hadrien Bruaux, 'Couronne 2', inkjet print, 50 x 60 cm, 2023. © the artist.

23/09/2025

A major exhibition of Mark Manders' work is currently on display at Museum Voorlinden in Wassenaar. COLLECT took a tour of the building and gardens with Suzanne Swarts, speaking to the director about collecting and sharing art along the way. Swarts once aspired to be an artist herself. She attended art school in Arnhem and then started working as a graphic designer. She then studied art marketing at the University of Groningen to learn how to promote her own work. “There I learned how much fun it is to develop business skills in a creative environment and provide a platform for artists,” she says. "We already have about fifteen works by Manders in our collection. We used a few of these for the exhibition, and most of what is on display has never been exhibited before." Manders has created an immersive experience specially for the museum: an exhibition exploring the boundaries of sculpture, time, language and identity. At the same time the expo 'The Life of Things', features work by internationally renowned artists and emerging talent alike, and will run until 2 November.

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'A walk with Suzanne Swarts' by Koos de Wilt
.manders

'The life of things' until 02-11
'Mark Manders' until 18-01

📷1: Suzanne Swarts at 'Famished Road' by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama. It is one of the artworks in the exhibition The Life of Things.
📷2: Mark Manders, 'Mind Study', 2018, papier-mâché, offset print on paper, acrylic paint on paper, wood, 204 x 154 cm. © the artist. Collection Museum Voorlinden. Photo: Peter Cox.
📷3: Mark Manders, 'Unfired Clay Head', 2011-2015, bronze, iron, acrylic paint, alkyd paint, 195 × 72 × 89 cm. © the artist. Collection Museum Voorlinden. Photo: Antoine van Kaam.

22/09/2025

The new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum is not about the last queen of France, but about a visionary woman with great taste. Marie Antoinette was a pioneer of “soft power” through art and fashion. The exhibition immerses visitors in a unique world whose modernity continues to captivate the imagination. Marie Antoinette (1755–1793) was the only queen to shape the court of Versailles according to her own tastes. Her aesthetic choices were inspired by rural simplicity and antique elements. “Yes, we can definitely speak of the style of Marie Antoinette,” confirms Sarah Grant, curator of the exhibition. This style combined elements of rococo, neoclassicism and English influences, emphasising refinement and femininity. Her lifestyle was inspired by her relationship with nature, her desire for intimacy, and her gentle form of rebellion. Today, she is often seen as a rebellious woman who reflects our times, when independence, individuality and freedom are highly valued. The London exhibition offers a historical and contemporary view of a lifestyle that is constantly reinventing itself and remains very much in vogue. Regardless of personal taste, the legend of Marie Antoinette continues to captivate audiences.

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'Marie Antoinette. Style is an attitude to life' by Christophe Dosogne

'Marie Antoinette Style' in London until 22-03-2026

📷1: Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené, chair that belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette (from a set), 1788, partially gilded walnut. London, The Victoria and Albert Museum, inv. W.6-1956.
📷2: Elisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, 'Portrait of Marie Antoinette with a Rose', 1783, oil on canvas, 131 × 87 cm. © Palace of Versailles, Dist. Grand Palais RMN. Photo: Christophe Fouin.
📷3: Wedding dress of Duchess Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte (1759-1818), future Queen of Sweden. Stockholm, Livrustkammaren, inv. SHM (CC BY 4.0). Photo: Göran Schmidt.

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