PAN art, design, and antiques fairs, taking place annually in Amsterdam is celebrating their 35th edition this year and the doors are opened in RAI conference centre from 19th till 27th November. www.pan.nl
125 high profile antique shops and art dealers from around the world come to show case the best of art, antiques, and design – beautiful paintings, sculptures, furniture, decorative objects, antique jewelry, some as old as 16th century since PAN covers 500 years of art history. They will be admired by all visitors, purchased probably by just a few who feel most comfortable financially as the price tags here go quite far beyond an average family budget. It doesn’t put me off at all; looking closely at these beautiful things and being able to chat with the experts is an undeniable and affordable pleasure – the entrance ticket costs only €20 online, €24 at the register. And just to clarify, it is non only about antiques. At PAN the past meets the present and contemporary artists contribute to the fairs too.
PAN Amsterdam took place for the first time in 1987 and the name stands for Pictura Antiquaris Nationalis. After merging with The Oude Kunst en Antiekbeurs Delft in 1993, it became the major national art and antique fair and got the official patronage of HRH Prince Bernhardt of the Netherlands.
The event is highly regarded for the quality of art objects on sale. The vetting process is very detailed, performed and supervised by 80 independent experts who confirm the authenticity and attribution, evaluate the quality and condition of each object.
This year’s highlights are the art pieces of Dutch old masters presented by art galleries and antique dealers from across the world, among them:
The Weiss Gallery from London specializing in North European portraits participating in the fairs for the first time, with a selection of works by Dutch masters, including these by Pieter Nanson (1612-1688) who portrayed members of Orange-Nassau House.
Gallery Jurjens Fine Art, Amsterdam will present a drawing by an Utrecht painter Abraham Bloemaert (1566-1651).
An Amsterdam based art dealer P.de Boer, specialising in 17th century portraits, landscapes, and mythological scenes, has been participating in PAN fairs for years, will show still life by Antoine Leemans (1631-1673)
But no matter if you are into antiques, contemporary furniture, 17th century Dutch paintings, photography, Japanese prints, antique clocks, porcelain, Russian Orthodox icons or sustainable design, at PAN Amsterdam all art lovers will have a chance to pursue their interests, learn new things and perhaps make surprising discoveries. Additionally, there will be talks and presentations during the whole week, most of them conducted in Dutch, only some in English. Activity language can be checked in PAN Podium programme.
One more thing – I have never seen bigger diamonds in real life than those presented at the jewellery stands here, and even though I leave empty handed, with just a couple of leaflets and dozens of photos on my phone, I am happily recuperating at the oyster & champagne bar…. A touch of luxury to end a perfect outing.
