Nonetheless, amid fears of a second wave, members of the French public have expressed dismay that such a big fair is going ahead.

“Really? I don’t think that is very prudent to have so many people together, spreading germs and bacteria. Couldn’t they just cancel it this year like everyone else?” said Karelle Dublot, a 26-year-old teacher, who was walking in the street nearby.

“It’s a terrible idea. Does the French government know?” asked Marie Pierre, 31, an unemployed Paris resident.

Art Paris was originally scheduled for April, but it was decided that a Sept. 10-13 slot would be a better fit.

About 6,000 masked guests are set to attend the Paris fair’s staggered opening — down from 17,000 invitees from last year. Guests this year won’t only pass sellers from 112 galleries, 15 different countries and their art, but ubiquitous bottles of hand sanitizer, and warning signs that clusters of people in small spaces won’t be permitted. Some art gallery owners and operators are wearing sparkling, art-infused masks to try to create some levity despite the restrictions.

Many of this year’s art fair cancellations, including the May edition of Frieze New York, followed the premature closure of Tefaf Maastricht in March, after an exhibitor at the Dutch fair contracted the virus on March 9. It was later revealed that at least two-dozen exhibitors and visitors had also contracted the virus. Fairs such as Art Basel in Switzerland, Frieze London, and Art Basel in Miami Beach were also among victims of the pandemic.