A wide range of artistic categories
Works of art span several of the 17 categories of the Mont-de-Piété of the City of Brussels: paintings, sculptures, ceramics, crystal and glassware, display pieces, antique clocks, numismatics, furniture and collectibles. Each family follows its own acceptance criteria.
Signed paintings by artists on the market
Paintings must be signed, in good condition and by an artist present on the art market. The website mentions James Ensor, Giovanni Boldini and Salvador Dalí; the page on pawning paintings in Belgium details these requirements.
Sculptures in bronze, stone or metal
Accepted sculptures are in bronze, stone or metal, signed by a recognised artist. The names displayed include Barye, Clodion, Daum, Jeff Koons and Richard Orlinski, as the page on pawning sculptures in Brussels explains.
Ceramics, crystal and display pieces
Dedicated pages exist for collectable ceramics and display pieces, while crystal and glassware form a separate category. Like any pledge, these fragile pieces are valued on the basis of their probable public auction value.
The €2,500 threshold
As soon as a work of art is valued at more than €2,500 at public auction, a certificate of authenticity is required. Below that amount, the published conditions do not require one, and the valuation rests on the appraisers' examination.
No certificate: deposit for verification
A major work without a certificate is not necessarily refused: by mutual agreement, it can remain on deposit while its authenticity is checked. The loan is then only offered once this verification is complete.
Amount lent on a work
The loan generally reaches 50 to 70% of the estimated public auction value, the proportion varying with the nature of the item. The file-opening fee amounts to 3.5% of that value, up to a limit of €60.
The artist's resale right
When a work is resold at auction, the artist's resale right is added to the 20% buyer's premium: zero below €2,000, it reaches 4% from that threshold and then decreases by bands, with a ceiling of €12,500 per work.
Auction and surplus
If the loan is not repaid, the work joins one of the catalogued sales on Tuesday or Saturday. The surplus, after deduction of capital, interest and fees, goes to the depositor; the stages are described on the page on auctions of pledged items in Belgium.
Choosing to sell a work
A depositor who would rather sell can ask for the pledge to be put up for auction at the earliest one month after the loan begins. Seller's fees amount to 10% of the hammer price, with the balance net of the debt paid to them.
Exhibitions at the Espace Freddy Thielemans
Since 2018, the institution has hosted free art exhibitions in the Espace Freddy Thielemans, open on Tuesdays from 10am to 4pm and at weekends from 11am to 4pm, only during exhibitions. This cultural venue is separate from the loan counters.
The two-thirds cap in France
In France, Article D514-8 of the Code monétaire et financier limits a loan on a work of art to two-thirds of its valuation. Our page on pawning works of art in France allows the two practices to be compared.
Brussels venues linked to pledged works
- Mont-de-Piété de la Ville de Bruxelles: Public institution that accepts paintings, sculptures and collectibles as pledges and resells them at catalogued sales.
- Espace Freddy Thielemans: Space where the Mont-de-Piété has hosted free art exhibitions since 2018, open only while they are running.
Entrusting a work to the Mont-de-Piété
- Gather the work's certificate of authenticity and invoice, the certificate becoming essential above €2,500.
- Photograph the work, its signature and its condition, then request a preliminary valuation online.
- Carefully pack the painting, sculpture or ceramic for transport to the Marolles.
- Present the item to the appraisers and, if necessary, agree to leave it on deposit while authenticity is checked.
- Sign the contract, receive the loan and note the 180-day maturity date.
- If you default, follow the sale and then claim the surplus, paid after deduction of capital, interest and fees.
Key figures for works of art
| Element | Amount or rule | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of authenticity | Required above €2,500 | Public auction valuation |
| Amount lent | 50 to 70% of the valuation | Depending on the item |
| File-opening fee | 3.5%, capped at €60 | Deducted on signing |
| Seller's fees on a voluntary sale | 10% of the hammer price | At the earliest after one month |
| Artist's resale right | 4% from €2,000, then decreasing | Ceiling of €12,500 per work |
| Buyer's premium | 20% per lot | Plus any resale right |
Documents for a work of art
- Valid identification and an address in the European Union
- Certificate of authenticity for any work valued at more than €2,500
- Purchase invoice for the work if there is one
- CITES certificate for an item containing material from a protected species
- Legalised power of attorney for a work belonging to someone else
Mistakes to avoid with a work of art
- Presenting an unsigned canvas or one by an artist absent from the art market, which falls outside the published conditions.
- Arriving without a certificate with a work worth more than €2,500, which means leaving it on deposit and delays the loan.
- Confusing insurance value with public auction value, the only reference used to calculate the loan.
- Ignoring the sales calendar: an unredeemed work joins a catalogued sale after the 30-day warning letter.
- Transporting ceramics or crystal without protection, at the risk of damaging the item and lowering its valuation.
Pledged works of art: your queries
Can you pawn a painting in Belgium?
Yes, at the Brussels Mont-de-Piété, provided the painting is signed, in good condition and by an artist present on the art market. Above an estimated public auction value of €2,500, a certificate of authenticity is required.
What happens if my work has no certificate?
For a work of art valued at more than €2,500, the lack of a certificate does not necessarily mean refusal: by mutual agreement, the work can stay on deposit while its authenticity is verified, before a loan is offered.
Who pays the artist's resale right at Mont-de-Piété sales?
The resale right is added to the buyer's premium of 20% per lot. It applies from €2,000, at a rate of 4%, then decreases by bands and is capped at €12,500 per work and per sale.
Does the Mont-de-Piété exhibit works of art?
Yes. Since 2018, the Espace Freddy Thielemans has hosted free exhibitions, on Tuesdays from 10am to 4pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 4pm, only during exhibition periods.
Official sources
Tableauxmontdepiete.be
Sculpturesmontdepiete.be
Objets de collectionmontdepiete.be
À propos du Mont-de-Piétémontdepiete.be
General information, up to date as of October 2026 and non-contractual: always check the terms with the Crédit Municipal or the institution concerned.