Antwerp Auctioneer Mon Bernaerts Dies at 81
Edmond “Mon” Bernaerts, the renowned Antwerp auctioneer who founded one of Belgium’s most prestigious auction houses and famously sold a René Magritte painting for a record price, has died at the age of 81. His son Peter Bernaerts announced the news on social media, as VRT NWS reported.
Bernaerts was a legendary figure in the Belgian art auction world, known for his fast-paced auctioneering style that earned him the nickname “Mon Mitraillette” (Mon Machine Gun), and for his frequent television appearances that made him a familiar face across Flanders.
From Modest Antiques Shop to National Institution
Bernaerts’ remarkable journey began in 1974 when, at age 30, he opened a modest antiques shop in Lier with his wife Emmy Heylen. The business grew steadily, expanding into an auction room in Mechelen before making the move to Antwerp in the early 1990s. After a brief stint in the Huidevetterstraat, the family settled permanently in the Verlatstraat on Antwerp’s Zuid district, in the shadow of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA), as RTV detailed.
The auction house, which Wikipedia notes specializes in works on paper, comics, design, old masters, and modern art, grew into a respected institution that organizes seven auction sessions per year and has expanded to include internet auctions since 2013.
The Record-Breaking Magritte Sale
The crowning achievement of Bernaerts’ career came in 2003 when he auctioned “Oiseau de Ciel” (“The Sky Bird”) by René Magritte from the bankruptcy estate of Sabena, Belgium’s former national airline. The painting, which depicts a bird enveloped in clouds and was used as the Sabena emblem on aircraft tails, was hammered down for over €3.8 million—still the highest price ever achieved for a painting at a Belgian auction.
According to Het Laatste Nieuws, curator Christian Van Buggenhout insisted on entrusting the work to a Belgian auction house. The painting was considered the icon of Belgian painting, as NRC Handelsblad noted in its coverage of the auction.
Bernaerts himself later recalled the sale as the highlight of his career. “That was very exciting,” he said in a 2023 interview, “because an international colleague had called the curator to say they would bring in at least 1 million for it.”
A Unique Auctioneering Style
Bernaerts’ distinctive rapid-fire auctioneering style set him apart from his peers. His sons Peter and Christophe, who have been running the family business for some time, described their father’s unique abilities in an extensive interview with Het Laatste Nieuws marking the auction house’s 50th anniversary.
“His speed, how he could control a room… They didn’t call dad Mon Mitraillette for nothing,” Peter Bernaerts said. “The media loved him.”
Christophe Bernaerts added: “Mom kept him in check. By the way, he’s still sharp, you know. Proud as a peacock of us.”
The brothers also reflected on their father’s determination, describing him as a “Don Quixote” figure who always wanted to prove he was right in his own way. “In his head, dad thought his auction house was bigger than Sotheby’s and Christie’s,” Peter recalled. “As a teenager you become imbued with that.”
A Legacy of Resilience
The Bernaerts family’s path to success was marked by struggles and resilience. The business faced financial difficulties, including a debt of 20 million Belgian francs that had to be paid off when they moved to Antwerp in 1994. The auction house nearly failed multiple times but eventually became one of Belgium’s leading auction houses, with an annual turnover of 5-6 million euros.
Beyond the Magritte sale, Bernaerts also made headlines in 2016 when he discovered and auctioned a Rubens drawing (“A Horse and Rider with Turban”) for €670,000, beating the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The auction house, which operates from the former cinema Artis building on the Verlatstraat, also hosts concerts and performances, positioning itself as a “kunstenhuis” (arts house), as described on the Bernaerts Platform website.
A Life Remembered
Mon Bernaerts stepped down as auctioneer in 2020 and moved to a care home in Antwerp’s city center. His wife Emmy Heylen, who was the co-founder and the rational force behind the business, died in 2018. The auction house celebrated its 50th anniversary in late 2025 with a special top auction.
His sons Peter and Christophe continue to lead the family business, carrying forward the legacy of a man who transformed a modest Lier antiques shop into one of Belgium’s most renowned auction houses. As the eventplanner.be profile of the auction house notes, Bernaerts’ hammer fell on hundreds of thousands of pieces, finding new homes for treasures from private collections across the country and beyond.
Mon Bernaerts leaves behind a lasting imprint on the Belgian art world—a legacy measured not just in record prices, but in the passion and energy he brought to every auction he conducted.