^{Valentine Naslin}

What do you do at Bonhams?  

I am Specialist and Head of Sale for Prints and Multiples at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels, where I organise four auctions a year of editions from fabulous Belgian and international collectors.

What’s exciting you about your next sale?

A special Prints and Multiples sale is happening in Brussels this September, showcasing a private collection of lithographs and serigraphs that explore geometry and color. Artists include Frank Stella, Josef Albers, Sol Lewitt, Victor Vasarely, and Auguste Herbin. Colorful, spontaneous works by Pierre Alechinsky and Sam Francis are offered alongside the more studied styles of Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Corneille, and Tom Wesselmann.

The event also highlights contemporary artists like Ai Weiwei, Takashi Murakami, David Spiller, and Claire Tabouret, as well as a notable collection of 34 prints by Marc Chagall. Additionally, 27 rare early 20th-century heliogravures of the moon will be exhibited. As always, the Brussels sale celebrates both Belgian and international artists, reflecting the diversity of limited-edition art.

Where are you from? And what inspired you to go into the art world?  

I am a citizen of the world, as the saying goes: from The Netherlands to England, the United States, France, Madagascar, Belgium... Due to this multicultural background, I always want to understand the world around me. Strangely enough, it has always been though art and heritage.

I’ve always loved learning about the aesthetic sides of different cultures. Being in the auction world means I can discover diverse new artistic horizons every day. What more could I want?

What was your first job?  

I started as an assistant for a small art gallery in Brussels – nothing unique, but so thrilling for a young art lover. I remember diving into it with all my heart. Making coffee or waiting for clients on Sundays didn’t bother me at all, as all I wanted was to be surrounded by art. This passion has never left me.

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Tell us about a career highlight.

I had been working in art galleries for years before joining the auction world less than three years ago. My proudest achievement so far has been organising auctions from the ground up, mostly on my own, and it’s been so rewarding. The warm welcome and results have encouraged me keep building this department nationally and internationally. Being able to consign editions from renowned artists – and seeing my clients’ happy faces when the artworks have sold because of my hard work backstage – is also very satisfying.

What has changed in your area of the business since you first started?

I started at Cornette de Saint Cyr before it was acquired by Bonhams. Since then, there has been a huge shift in the way I work. I love the new international vibe and that so many experts are available at our fingertips to help in so many departments. It gives me a new sense of confidence when meeting clients who have more than prints or multiples in their collection.

Online auctions have also changed: they are slowly, but surely, becoming the norm and allowing the business to be more efficient. However, they will never replace the special energy we all love from organising live auctions.

What is your strength as a specialist?

My curiosity and my thirst to learn! This rigorous job requires a lot of discipline and research – which are, in my case, also enhanced by my proactiveness and energy. I would never refuse overtime at the office if it’s to deliver the best to our clients. There is also my passion for art – but this is not a strength, as it’s present in all the specialists working at Bonhams!

Do you have a hidden talent?

I sing, write, play the guitar and piano... I am an artist too, in a way. I guess that’s why I love discussing and being surrounded by art every day.

Which work of art has changed your life?

Definitely Autumn Rythm by Jackson Pollock. When I first saw it in New York as a child, I was baffled by its size and hysterical when I learned the technique. I suddenly realised the immense freedom in art and the abyssal limit of it. I clearly remember the feeling – take me back!

Valentine Naslin is Specialist and Head of Sale for the Prints & Multiples department at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels. She can be reached at Valentine.Naslin@bonhams-csc.com.

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