A Lost Rubens Sketch Is Exhibited for the First Time at the 71st Edition of BRAFA / Brussels

A Lost Rubens Sketch Resurfaces and Is Exhibited for the First Time
at the 71st Edition of BRAFA

 BRAFA | Brussels| 2026

From Sunday, January 25 to Sunday, February 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, January 26, 2026, by invitation only

>>> An exceptional discovery is making waves in the art world: a sketch by Peter Paul Rubens, long considered lost, has resurfaced and will be presented to the public for the first time at the BRAFA Art Fair, from January 25 to February 1, at Brussels Expo.
The work, titled Portrait of an Old Man, was rediscovered by Belgian Old Masters dealer and BRAFA chairman Klaas Muller. The quality of execution and the expressive power of the portrait
immediately caught Muller’s attention. After a thorough comparative study of Rubens’ oeuvre,
Muller identified the depicted face as that of a model frequently used by the Antwerp master to
portray apostles, kings, and secondary figures during his early years in Antwerp. This face is
notably recognizable as Saint Thomas in the Apostles series at the Prado in Madrid, and as
Melchior in The Adoration of the Magi at the KMSKA in Antwerp.
To confirm the attribution, the work underwent in-depth art historical analysis by Ben van
Beneden, former director of the Rubenshuis. According to him, several features point to an
original Rubens study: a spontaneous, vigorous yet precise brush stroke, exceptional virtuosity,
and the characteristic use of paper mounted on panel.
This discovery is particularly significant as it may correspond to the lost prototype listed in the
catalogue raisonné Study Heads (Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, Part XX) by Dr. Nico Van Hout (KMSKA), whose location had remained unknown was considered lost.

 From a young age, Rubens produced preparatory drawings; however, it was likely during his Italian period that he began painting oil study heads, following the example of Federico Barocci and Annibale Carracci. “Rubens captured faces in quick, spontaneous sketches, often from multiple angles,” explains Van Beneden. “In this way, he built a visual repertoire of expressive
physiognomies that he re-used in his large compositions.”
Upon returning to Antwerp in 1608, when he opened his workshop, Rubens deliberately invested
in these studies. “This was his starting capital,” emphasizes Van Beneden. The earliest heads were
painted on paper and then mounted on panel, probably to facilitate handling within the workshop.
An additional argument supporting this attribution comes from a fascinating visual detail: the
paper reveals an underlying sketch of a young girl, later overpainted by the study of the old man.
When the work is turned upside down, this initial drawing becomes clearly visible beneath the
thick gray beard. This element provides early evidence of this workshop practice.
This marks the third major attribution by Klaas Muller to the Antwerp master. His previous
discovery, Diana’s Hunt, was sold at BRAFA in 2018 to an international collector and is now on
permanent loan at the Snyders-Rockox Museum in Antwerp.
This unique sketch will thus be exhibited to the public for the first time at the 71st edition of
BRAFA, offering a rare glimpse into the working methods and creativity of the Flemish master.

 

Dates and Location
From Sunday, January 25 to Sunday, February 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, January 26, 2026, by invitation only
Evening opening on Thursday, January 29, 2026, until 10 p.m.
Brussels Expo – Halls 3, 4 & 8. Entrance via Hall 4
Place de Belgique 1 / 1020 Bruxelles

BRAFA 2023 Brussels

 BRAFA 2023 BRUSSELS  29|01- 05|02| 2023

 

View of BRAFA 22 © Fabrice Debatty

BRAFA Art Fair | 29|01 -05|02|2-23| BRUSSELS

Walking around BRAFA is like diving into a world where beauty and elegance impart a form of
appeasement. Collectors and art lovers will soon be able to rediscover this special atmosphere, since the 68th edition of the Fair will be taking place in exactly two months. 

From Sunday, January 29th to Sunday, February 5th, 2023, BRAFA will be taking up residence at Brussels Expo.Over the course of 8 days, more than 10,000 works spanning all different styles and periods will be presented by 130 internationally-renowned galleries from 15 countries. For two days prior to the opening of the Fair, the paintings, furniture, art objects, jewellery and sculptures will be analysed by more than 80 experts from around the world, studied by a scientific laboratory and monitored by the Art Loss Register.
Over time, BRAFA has built up a reputation that is now well established thanks to its pursuit of
excellence and the eclecticism of the objects on display, allowing collectors to broaden their tastes and purchase with complete confidence. “It is not by chance that from the outset, BRAFA has resolutely opted for excellence and eclecticism! Diversity and high standards are essential impulses that drive any healthy and dynamic society, simultaneously living up to its core values and projecting itself into the future in a visionary way. BRAFA is a microcosm that reflects this approach in a world where technology transcends matter, thereby accessing a sphere that showcases the richness of an artistic heritage with a thousand nuances. This is why BRAFA is a reliable and credible guide which, from year to year, takes you on a journey through the mysterious, sometimes ill-defined but always fascinating forest which we call the world of art.” Christian Vrouyr, Secretary-General of BRAFA.
From the Old Masters to contemporary art, by way of jewellery, sculptures, silverware, design and tribal art, here is an overview of a few key pieces which will be featured at BRAFA 2023.

 

 

BRAFA ART FAIR | BRUSSELES | BELGIUM

BRAFA ART FAIR 

BRUSSELS , BELGIUM

Sunday, January 29^th to Sunday, February 5^th  2023 | Brussels Expo

 

BRAFA Art Fair is back in January and stands as the first major art fair of the year in the calendar. The 68th edition of BRAFA will take place from Sunday, January 29^th to Sunday, February 5^th at Brussels Expo at the Heysel in Halls 3 and 4, where 130 exhibitors will be taking over the entire space.

 

 
BRAFA will be the first major European art fair to visit in 2023, positioning it, as per tradition, as a true barometer of the art market. The 68th edition of BRAFA will take place from Sunday, January 29th to Sunday, February 5th at Brussels Expo at the Heysel in Halls 3 and 4, where 130 exhibitors will be taking over the entire space. This venue, the new setting for BRAFA since June, was greatly
appreciated by its visitors at the last event, both for the openness of its aisles and for the very pleasant atmosphere that reigned there.
Harold t’Kint de Roodenbeke, the Chairman of BRAFA, explains: “We had a kind of trial gallop with a first BRAFA outside of our usual standards, since we proposed an event in a new space and at a different time due to a disrupted schedule. January will therefore be both a return to normality in terms of dates and also the writing of a new page in our history with Brussels Expo. Our current goal is to get back to our rhythm and our loyal customers, whilst developing the potential of the space.”
For this 2023 edition, a theme has been chosen in correlation with the initiative of the Brussels-Capital Region, which will make 2023 a year devoted to Art Nouveau. BRAFA will be highlighting this movement in several ways. The King Baudouin Foundation and some galleries specialised in this field
will be presenting exceptional Art nouveau pieces. The creation of the BRAFA 2023 carpet will be based on original drawings by Victor Horta, and art lovers will be able to attend two “BRAFA Art
 

Talks” devoted to Art nouveau.

One will be led by Professor Werner Adriaenssens, Curator of the Twentieth-Century Collections at the Musées royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, and the other by Benjamin Zurstrassen, Curator at the Horta Museum.

BRAFA’s 2023 edition will see the return of several galleries
The Fair strengthens the development of its international reputation through the quality and diversity of its galleries. Of the 130 exhibitors, 65% are based abroad. Christian Vrouyr, the General Secretary of BRAFA, says: “For over sixty years, BRAFA has stimulated the development of participating galleries, first at the national level, and then on the international scene. The Fair, which
began as a local event, has been able to find the right tone over the years, making it possible to extend contacts with international customers.”
For this 68th edition, a number of galleries have confirmed their return, including the Galerie de la Présidence (FR), which will be presenting a selection of masters from the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries such as Buffet, Derain, Dufy, Giacometti, Maillol, Matisse, Poliakoff, Vlaminck and Vuillard.
Collectors who have already visited BRAFA will also recognise the Galerie von Vertes (CH), specialised in modern and contemporary art, which will be offering exceptional pieces by Albers, Calder, Chamberlain, Francis, Kusama, Lichtenstein, Miro, Poliakoff, Richter, Relief, Warhol and Wesselman.

Also worth mentioning is the presence of Morentz (NL), a gallery specialised in twentieth-century design furniture, which brings together works from all over the world and showcases designers such as George Nakashima, Phillip Lloyd Powell, José Zanine Caldas, and Gio Ponti.Included in the 2023 list of participants, the Osborne Samuel Gallery (UK), one of the leading specialists in modern British paintings and sculptures in London, is particularly focused on the works
of Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick and Barbara Hepworth, and the school of London painters such as Auerbach and Kossoff; abstract post-war artists such as Pasmore, Heath and Frost, and the neo-romanticists Sutherland, Vaughan, Craxton and Clough.The Bernier/Eliades Gallery (GR/BE), based in Athens and Brussels, specialises in contemporary art(Arte Povera, Minimalism, Land Art, Conceptual Art). It will be presenting works by Susan Rothenberg and Berta Fischer to visitors at the Fair.Finally, three Belgian galleries, whose reach extends far beyond national borders, will be returning to BRAFA in 2023: Guy Pieters Gallery (BE), whose success is based on its long-standing collaborationswith artists (the one developed with Christo recently enabled the wrapping of the Arc de Triomphe inParis). De Brock Gallery (BE), founded in 1991, promoting established contemporary artists such as Imi Knoebel, Julian Opie, Dan Walsh and Terry Winters, with an emphasis on abstract painting.Bernard De Leye, specialised in antique silverware, is one of the finest connoisseurs in this field. He has been in the profession since 1977 and presents unique pieces of European silverware, mainly Belgian and French, from the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

9 new galleries will be joining BRAFA
Two galleries specialised in ancient art will be making their entrance at BRAFA. Franck Anelli Fine Art (FR) will be presenting ancient Flemish, Dutch and French paintings from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, as well as rare inlaid furniture from the golden period of the Parisian eighteenth century. Ars Antiqua, based in Milan, will be exhibiting ancient paintings, furniture and sculptures.
Another newcomer is Van der Meij Fine Arts (NL), a specialist in nineteenth-century European art.Their collection ranges from Northern European Romanticism, with works by J.C. Dahl, Thomas Fearnley, Skovgaard and Peder Balke, to Scandinavian Symbolism (Hammershøi, Ilsted, Holsøe, L.A.
Ring), by way of Dutch painting (e.a. Jan Weissenbruch and Willem Witsen).
The design furniture section has been expanded with the addition of three new galleries, including the Galerie Pascal Cuisinier (FR), specialised in French design between 1951 and 1961, which represents Pierre Guariche, Joseph-André Motte, Michel Mortier, Antoine Philippon & Jacqueline Lecoq, amongst others. Galerie Van den Bruinhorst (NL) will offer historic art and design objects
from the twentieth century. The collection contains remarkable objects that played an important role in art and design at the time they were created. New Hope Gallery, from Belgium, will present a set of masterpieces from the history of furniture in the second half of the twentieth century, including works by American and Danish designers such as Paul Evans and Phillip Lloyd Powell, Poul
Henningsen, Poul Kjærholm, and Finn Juhl.VKD Jewels (NL) will be joining the jewellery section of the fair. The gallery, located in Uden in the
Netherlands, has a collection which includes a unique range of fine and rare jewellery from the world’s leading designers from the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bulgari, Buccellati, Tiffany and David Webb. Also amongst the new exhibitors, collectors will be able to discover the Parisian gallery Nicolas Bourriaud (FR), specialised in nineteenth and early-twentieth century French sculpture, which will be exhibiting the works of the greatest sculptors such as Barye, Joseph Bernard, Bugatti, Dalou, Guyot,
Rodin, Pompon and Sandoz. Finally, the Librairie Amélie Sourget (FR) will join the specialists in rare and precious books in the fields of the history of ideas, travelogues and beautiful illustrated books.

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