The Salon du Dessin, an international event that is the envy of the world, is now chaired by Florence Chibret-Plaussu (Galerie de La Présidence) and Hervé Aaron (Galerie Didier Aaron), former chair and honorary chair of the Salon.

The 34th edition of the Salon du Dessin will take place from 24 to 30 March 2026 at the Palais Brongniart and will welcome the MuMa in Le Havre as its guest of honour.

After serving as president for 11 years of the Salon du Dessin, founded in 1991, and Fine Arts Paris, created in 2017, Louis de Bayser is stepping down to make way for Xavier Eeckhout, who will take over as president of Fine Arts Paris, and Florence Chibret-Plaussu and Hervé Aaron, who will become co-presidents of the Salon du Dessin.

Xavier Eeckhout takes over as president of Fine Arts Paris, which has just successfully concluded its latest edition (FAB Paris 2025) and will now be held annually at the Grand Palais during the second half of September.

The event is reverting to the more generic and international name of Fine Arts Paris, abandoning the reference to the B for Biennale for this annual event. The next edition will be held from 19 to 23 September 2026 at the Grand Palais, with Le musée du Grand Siècle as guest of honour.

‘After eleven years as president, I am happily passing the baton to Florence, Hervé and Xavier to preside over the destiny and development of the Salon du Dessin et de Fine Arts Paris. I will of course remain at their side to assist with the organisation of future salons by the Agence d'Evènements Culturels.’
Louis de Bayser

Florence Chibret-Plaussu and Hervé Aaron
co-presidents of the Salon du dessin

Florence Chibret-Plaussu

Florence Chibret-Plaussu joined the Galerie de la Présidence, founded in 1971, thirty years ago. She is now its director and has organised recent notable exhibitions on Boudin, Cross, Marquet, Gromaire, Fautrier and, in a few days' time, Signac once again.

Florence Chibret-Plaussu has supported the gallery's development and its international expansion, both through participation in major European art fairs and through the close ties forged with many leading French and foreign museums.

‘The Salon du Dessin is a global benchmark for drawing, an unmissable event for collectors and museum curators, but also a fair that promotes the emergence of young dealers alongside renowned international galleries. We also want the Salon du Dessin to be a gateway for new collectors, who are increasingly appreciating its atmosphere, quality and diversity every year.'
Florence Chibret-Plaussu

 

Florence Chibret-Plaussu
co-president of the Salon du dessin

Son of Didier Aaron, CEO of Didier Aaron Incorporated since 1976, Hervé Aaron works in New York, Paris and London.

Alongside his career as an antique dealer, he has devoted much of his time to promoting the world of classical art, of which he is a prominent international figure, as well as that of luxury goods. Founder of the Comité Colbert in the United States in 1988, he became Vice-President of the National Antique and Art Dealers Association in 1991, then a member of the Business Committee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

He chaired the Syndicat National des Antiquaires from 2008 to 2010 and was recalled to the presidency of the Organising Committee of the Biennale des Antiquaires in 2014.

Hervé Aaron has participated in every edition of the Salon du Dessin since its creation in 1991 and was one of the founders of the Société du Salon du Dessin in 1995, which has now become the Agence d'Évènements Culturels. He also chaired the Salon du Dessin for 16 years.

‘Having been president for many years, then honorary president of the Salon du Dessin, I intend to help Florence Chibret-Plaussu consolidate the Salon and its base of antique drawing galleries.’
Hervé Aaron

Hervé Aaron
co-president of the Salon du dessin

Xavier Eeckhout

An international specialist in early 20th-century animal sculpture, Xavier Eeckhout opened his gallery in 2018 in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés after ten years in the Drouot district. He presents works by the great masters of the early 20th century, Pompon, Bugatti, Sandoz, but also Artus, Le Bourgeois, Lémar, Petersen, Guyot and Godchaux, for whom he wrote the catalogue raisonné in collaboration with the artist’s grandson (Faton, 2021).

He was the first art dealer to present an exhibition on the forgotten animal sculptors of the 1930s, who were brought to light thanks to him and his reference work Sculptrices (2023). He has been participating in international fairs for over fifteen years, such as TEFAF Maastricht and Fine Arts Paris.

Xavier Eeckhout is a member of the Professional Committee of Art Galleries (CPGA), the French Union of Professional Experts in Works of Art and Collectibles (SFEP), and the Royal Chamber of Antique Dealers of Belgium.

‘I would like to thank my friend Louis de Bayser and the board of directors for the mission entrusted to me. We will continue to develop Fine Arts Paris together in perfect harmony, ensuring that professionalism and camaraderie remain the cornerstones of the fair. Fine Arts Paris will thus become the unmissable event for dealers and collectors alike in the international art market calendar, and will raise Paris’s profile.’
Xavier Eeckhout

 

Xavier Eeckhout
president of Fine Arts Paris

About l’Agence d’Évènements Culturels

L'Agence d'Événements Culturels, manages the Salon du dessin and Fine Arts Paris.

It is owned by nine dealers and Connaissance des Arts (Les Echos Group). It is directed by Hélène Mouradian.