For many, this venerable Paris institution is the most stylish of all fairs, and, while that is a matter of opinion, it is unarguably a member of that select club which comprises the world's top fairs, just five of which are head and shoulders above the rest.
This year, there are 101 exhibitors, among them 15 newcomers and six who are returning after absence. While the Biennale used to be very much a French affair, this year, like last, there are 30 dealers from outside France.
The largest foreign contingents come from Belgium and the UK, who are providing six. Of the six, two are showing at the Biennale for the first time, Mayfair's Dover Street Gallery with Old Masters and the St James's specialist in carpets and tapestries David Franses.
The Paris Biennale attracts more than 100,000 visitors and recent stagings have become ever more international and varied, with the organisers determined to make it more than just a showcase for the French trade, albeit a spectacular one.
