Jean David

My connection to African art goes back through generations. Family David It has been documented in Basel since 1395. As a trading city, Basel was early on internationally connected and closely linked to Africa through the Basel Mission.

In this tradition of openness to the world, for example, the brothers Jean Jacques David (1871–1908) and Adam David (1872–1959) were active as academic African explorers.

My parents, René and Denise David, founded the Galerie Walu in Basel in 1957. Growing up surrounded by works of art, collectors, dealers, books, and exhibitions, I was already involved in African art at a young age.

Journeys to regions of origin, together with direct contact with objects, collectors and specialists, have shaped my understanding of art and its cultural context.

Jean David, African Art Specialist

Art trade and auctions

After my training at the École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) and my studies at the University of St. Gallen (HSG), I decided to pursue a career in art trade.

From 1986 onwards, I worked in the then single-person company of my parents; in 1998 I founded the gallery Walu AG. There, I designed and curated numerous exhibitions on African art and published ten catalogues.

In 2003, I established a new department dedicated to African art at Koller Auktionen, which I headed as an external expert until 2014. During this period, I was responsible for 21 auctions and their corresponding catalogues.

In 2016, I founded Hammer Auktionen. Since then, together with my team, I have conducted more than 160 auctions and examined, catalogued, valued and sold thousands of objects.

Expertise

In addition to my work in the art trade, I am called upon by courts, customs authorities and insurance companies as an expert witness and work internationally as a speaker and author on topics related to African art.

Over four decades of professional activity have shaped my perspective on quality, authenticity, origin, and market. This expertise is based on direct contact with originals, the comparison of numerous objects, travel, research, and personal exchanges with collectors, dealers, researchers, and museums.

Decades of experience in handling works of art cannot be shortened or simulated by artificial intelligence.

Today

With African Art Advisory, I advise private clients and institutions worldwide.

In addition, I am an auctioneer and an expert in tribal art in my auction house. Hammer Auktionen. I run the professional platform tribal.art, and am owner of Gallery Walu.