Brafa’s event this year, which took place from January 21st thru 29th, hosted around 120 art dealers from more than ten countries. This year, 54 of them came from Belgium. The program ensures a variety of exhibitors, ranging from antiquities to contemporary art, by allowing only 20% of participants to re-attend each year.

This year’s impressive antique dealers included Phoenix Ancient Art, as well as Galerie Chenel, Roswitha Eberwein and Tradart. Tradart, a coin specialist, presented a silver tetradrachm with the nymph Arethuse from around 450 BC, while Phoenix’s highlights included an Aegean marble idol from the 3rd millennium BC.

Other artifacts on display included medieval sculptures and other works of art from Mullany and De Backker. The most impressive in these exhibits included a Burgundian limestone sculpture of the Virgin from around 1450 in exquisite condition, complete with original polychromy, as well as an anonymous “Nativity” from 1500 based on a creation of Hugo van der Goes.

The fair was also abundant in Asian art from the 10th and 11th centuries, including a Dancing Ganesh from Central India and whalebone, ivory, tortoiseshell, buffalo horn and rosewood Japanese Bachi. A 1992 Picasso, “Still Life with Fruit Bowl and Guitar”, previously unknown, was also displayed. Other pieces included a bejeweled pendant, unique furniture and much more.

The works include three blue-green faience hippopotami, similar to the beloved Egyptian “William” in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Two of the exhibit’s hippopotami date from the Middle Kingdom, and one from the Late Period, or the Persian Period. The hippopotamus theme was truly international, being the subject of art in regions ranging from Egypt to Iran and Levant. Though the hippopotamus looks benevolent and almost cute, it was considered a dangerous force of nature in both this life and the next.

Some of the exhibit’s other highlights include a light green Egyptian New Kingdom figurine of a seated antelope; an Egyptian pectoral depicting Ramses; a Greek aryballos shaped as a hedgehog from the mid-6^th century B.C.; an Egyptian amphora with a gold leaf wreath from the Hellenistic period and a Late Period Egyptian dish embellished with a pair of lions.

The exhibition features the private collection of the Aboutaam family, which was initiated by Sleiman Aboutaam, and continued by his two sons Ali Aboutaam and Hicham Aboutaam. In January, the exhibit will travel to BRAFA, the 57^th Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair, Tour and Taxis, and will later appear on display at Phoenix Ancient Art in Geneva.