Suz and Joris Onzea were passionate lovers of beauty who, over the course of their lives, assembled a magnificent and eclectic collection, displayed in an interior designed by Axel Vervoordt and Ado Challe. Remarkably open-minded in their tastes, they collected works ranging from Antiquity—including a fine Egyptian Sekhmet—to tribal art from Mali and Pre-Columbian objects. At the same time, they surrounded themselves with paintings from Old Masters to Contemporary Art, among them a Wedding Feast by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, an exceptional group of works by Rik Wouters, and paintings by Lucio Fontana and Jef Verheyen.
When a collection of this scope is inherited by nine individuals not totally familiar with the art world, the assistance of an expert is essential rather than a luxury. We guided the family through the complexities of the art market: advising on which works should be sold privately or at public auction, establishing valuations, assessing the quality and reliability of the various parties involved, and negotiating contracts. This process ultimately led, among other outcomes, to a highly successful collaboration with Christie’s.
