COLOGNE.- Cologne Fine Art & Antiques will be hosting a large number of top-flight gallerists and dealers specializing in classical modern art, post-war art, antiques and applied art. One section of the Fair features antiquarian books and prints. The Fair runs from 19 to 23 November 2008.

One of the Fair's new objectives is to encourage interaction among the gallerists and dealers exhibiting. This innovative move has been welcomed by exhibitors. Stands can be shared by exhibitors from different sections - an example: Galerie Simonis (Düsseldorf) and Kunsthandel Vignold (Cologne) are showing non-European artworks at the same stand as Hubertus Melsheimer (Cologne) and Thole Rotermund (Hamburg) - who are showing classical twentieth-century art and post-war art - and Teppichkunst Hirschberg (Cologne) - who are showing rare rugs, carpets and textiles. Each exhibitor has his/her own exhibition space but is free to exchange objects with other exhibitors. Two further galleries contributing to the exciting interplay of visual relationships are Galerie Utermann (Dortmund) - showing classical modern art - and Aussereuropäische Kunst Dierking (Cologne) - featuring African and Oceanic art.

For collectors specializing in important twentieth-century painting, Düsseldorf's Galerie Ludorff has key works by Max Liebermann - especially a very fine Wannseegarten. The gallery also has a remarkable Paula Modersohn-Becker painting titled Drei Kinder an einem Hang sitzend (1901) and is staging an exhibition of oils and watercolours by Gerhard Richter. An important exhibition of his work is currently showing at the Museum Ludwig in Cologne. Galerie Neher (Essen) has a 1906 portrait by Macke of his sister, an attractive landscape by Otto Modersohn titled Herbstlicher Birkenwald in der Abendsonne, an impressive flower still life titled Weisse Päonien und blaue Blüten by Emil Nolde and a large-format painting by Fritz Winter titled Urlandschaft executed in 1965. Galerie Norbert Blaeser is offering paintings, works on paper and still lifes of the 1930s and 1940s by Maria von Heider-Schwanitz. An artist of the so-called ‘lost generation' and a long-term companion of Schmidt-Rottluff, her work is fresh to the market. The gallery represents her estate. Blaeser also has works by Bruno Krauskopf acquired from the family of the artist in Norway. The gallery is also showing work by a younger artist, the Berlin-based realist Roland Nicolaus. Cologne-based Galerie Boisserée specializes in twentieth-century paintings and works on paper. Highlights are a 1952 ink and coloured chalk drawing by Joan Miró titled Hommage à Madame Gaby Malaquais and works on paper by Braque and Picasso. Boisserée is also staging a special show of work by the second-generation Expressionist Ernst Mollenhauer. Mollenhauer is little-known but he left a corpus of highly expressive work. German Expressionist painters are well represented at the stand of Munich dealer Hans Maulberger. Galerie Schlichtenmaier (Grafenau/Stuttgart) and Salis & Vertes (Salzburg) specialize in post-war art. Cologne-based Galerie Orangerie-Reinz is offering a range of important works by classical twentieth-century artists like Picasso, Braque, Chagall and Miró. Galerie Thomas (Munich) is featuring an important watercolour by Emil Nolde titled Sonnenblumen in blauer Vase, Jawlensky's colourful Haus mit Palme and a rare Heinrich Campendonck watercolour titled Zwei Pferde in Berglandschaft. Hubertus Melsheimer (Cologne) has an impressive range of classical modern and post-war works. Margret Heuser (Düsseldorf) is focusing on artists of Die Brücke and Galerie Utermann (Dortmund) has a remarkable selection of early twentieth-century pieces by Erich Heckel, Lyonel Feininger, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Christian Rohlfs and Karl Hartung. Galerie Vömel (Düsseldorf) has a 1940 Paul Klee titled Praeludium zu einem Ständchen characterized by floating, hieroglyph-like symbols and an impressive watercolour of c.1932 by Oskar Schlemmer titled Frauenkopf - gesenktes Profil. The gallery is also showing a group of very fine, richly coloured works on paper by Hans Reichel and an important 1934 bronze by Hermann Blumenthal titled Kniende. Galerie Zibelius (Hanover) is staging a museum-calibre show of works by Lovis Corinth, Erich Heckel, Max Pechstein and Oskar Schlemmer. Among the highlights is an impressive watercolour by Heckel titled Sitzend am Meer. Executed in 1922, it has a private Swiss provenance. Kunsthandlung Goyert (Cologne) will feature work by Michael Schwarzer, Friedrich Meckseper, Peter Calmes and the sculptor Götz Sambale.

Benden & Klimczak (Cologne/Viersen) specialize in Pop Art and will be showing paintings by Tom Wesselmann, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. Galerie Klaus Gerrit Friese (Stuttgart) is featuring a comprehensive show of paintings and drawings by William N. Copley dating from 1958 to 1992. Monica Maria Heigl (Munich) has a selection of exquisite Japanese woodblock prints.

Georg Britsch jun. (Bad Schussenried) is an expert in fine 18th- and 19th-century furniture. He has a magnificent north-German lyre secretaire made of mahogany and a fine, walnut extending dining-table made in 1825. At full length, it measures four and a half metres. Viehbahn-Kunsthandel (Worpswede) has two marble reliefs from the studio of the Dutch baroque sculptor Bartholomäus Egger. One of the star pieces is a richly decorated Russian Empire secretaire à abattant. Ortenberg Juwelen (Düsseldorf) are leading dealers in jewellery. One unique and superb piece they have on show is a white-gold and yellow-gold brooch decorated with precious stones and probably made in 1960. Carpet specialist Hans Eitzenberger (Hamburg) will be offering a selection of rare antique rugs and carpets.

Kunstsalon Franke (Munich) has a fine selection of Old Master paintings and will also be showing a range of important works by 19th and 20th-century masters.

Cologne Fine Art & Antiques has a special focus on museum-quality African and Oceanic art. Leading dealers in African art are Galerie Simonis (Düsseldorf) and Kunsthandel Vignold (Cologne). Vignold's star item is a sculpture of a seated female figure carved in wood. Other important items from private collections are a Kota reliquary figure in wood plated with brass and a wooden mask painted white from Gabon. Simonis is offering a Dogon sculpture of a mother and child carved in wood in a distinctive, organic form. The piece has a distinguished provenance. It was formerly in the collection of Charles Ratton, a leading expert in African art. Ratton was one of the first dealers in the field of African art and opened a gallery in Paris in 1920. Galerie Dierking (Cologne) also specializes in non-European art.