
Carla Passino
Carla must be the only Italian that finds the English weather more congenial than her native country’s sunshine. An antique herself, she became Country Life’s Arts & Antiques editor in 2023 having previously covered, as a freelance journalist, heritage, conservation, history and property stories, for which she won a couple of awards. Her musical taste has never evolved past Puccini and she spends most of her time immersed in any century before the 20th.
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What was Andy Warhol really like? The Newlands House Gallery exhibition shows the artist like never before
The exhibition, in Petworth, West Sussex, shows the many layers behind the artist's public persona.
By Carla Passino Last updated
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A five minute guide to the new V&A East Storehouse’s treasures
Samurai swords and 350,000 books are just some of the curios in the new Victoria & Albert storehouse in Stratford, London, which is now open to the public.
By Carla Passino Published
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Young at art: Meet the new generation of Young British Artists
As British contemporary art beats all odds to remain a cauldron of inventiveness and passion, Carla Passino discovers which artists aged 40 or under are on the radar of forward-looking museum directors and curators
By Carla Passino Published
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Kermit the frog, a silver-horned goat and Charles III’s 69ft-long coronation record star in a groundbreaking exhibition
‘Happy & Glorious’, at the The National Archives in Kew, captures the spirit of the King’s coronation with works by eight contemporary artists alongside the official roll of the day — and that of Edward II’s crowning in 1308.
By Carla Passino Published
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These are J. M. W Turner's 11 best paintings, as chosen by Britain's top curators, art historians and creative minds
Cold moonlight, golden sunset and shimmering waters are only three reasons to love Turner. On the 250th anniversary of his birth, curators, art historians and other creative minds reveal which of his paintings they’d hang on their walls and why.
By Carla Passino Published
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John Sutcliffe — The man, the myth and the paint-naming legend behind Dead Salmon and Elephant's Breath
By Carla Passino Published
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The five minute guide to 'The Great Gatsby', a century on from its publication
'The Great Gatsby' sold poorly the year it was published, but, in the following century, it went on to become a cornerstone of world literature.
By Carla Passino Published
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The Ravenna Palazzo where Byron lived and loved is now a museum dedicated to his memory — and it's just been toured by Queen Camilla
On a Royal State Visit that coincided with her wedding anniversary to His Majesty King, the Queen found a moment to tour a newly reopened museum devoted to the Romantic poet.
By Carla Passino Published
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Holding pattern: The enduring influence of William Morris on film, fashion and design
A new exhibition at Walthamstow’s William Morris Gallery traces the legacy of the Arts & Crafts designer on everything from boots to cinema and even a Japanese waving cat.
By Carla Passino Published
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Meet the willow weaving artist whose work is popular on both sides of the pond
This summer, Laura Ellen Bacon's work stars in two different exhibitions.
By Carla Passino Published
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A remarkable $100 million numismatic collection reappears after being buried for more than 50 years
A collector hid his treasure from the Nazis, his widow kept it secret for decades, but now Roman aurei, Greek staters and British pounds so rare that some have never been sold at public auction have resurfaced and will go under the hammer.
By Carla Passino Published
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The 30-carat aquamarine pendant smuggled out of Russia and recently attributed to Fabergé that sold for £35,000 — three times its estimate
The ribbon-bow surmount is synonymous with the Russian jewellery houses.
By Carla Passino Last updated
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Go Dutch: Understanding the Duke of Wellington’s passion for Dutch art and how to view his collection
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington was a terrible Prime Minister, but made up for it by being a sophisticated collector.
By Carla Passino Published
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A gorgeous home that offers a slice of country life in the heart of Hampstead
This idyllic Hampstead mansion has seen its price rise nine times faster than inflation — and it's not hard to see why.
By Carla Passino Published
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Victor Hugo, France's greatest novelist, was also a talented artist — and now his 'rarely seen' illustrations are on display at the RA
Victor Hugo dismissed his drawings as mere things made in the margins of his manuscripts Now, a Royal Academy exhibition reveals how powerfully they engage the imagination.
By Carla Passino Published
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Philip Treacy, Gucci and Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, take centre stage at Chatsworth's latest floral-inspired exhibition
'The Gorgeous Nothings: Flowers at Chatsworth’ traverses eras and art forms, raising questions about the environment.
By Carla Passino Published
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Everything you might've missed last week — including the new Aston Martin
A lot has happened in the last few few days, from an Aston Martin reveal and new Rolex flagship store opening, to a case of mistaken identify at the Wallace Collection.
By Rosie Paterson Published
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Everything you need to know about Hampstead: The real star of 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy'
From Protestant Dissenters to Dame Judi Dench, Hampstead has long been synonymous with liberal values and prosperity — which is what makes it different from other parts of London. Now, it's stealing hearts the world over in the latest Bridget Jones film.
By Carla Passino Published
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‘Seeing all these pictures at the same time is a rare privilege’: ‘Goya to Impressionism’ opens at The Courtauld
The Courtauld’s new exhibition marks the first time that a significant portion of one of Switzerland’s most important art collections has been shown in one go, outside of the country.
By Carla Passino Published
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This rare Picasso lithograph could be yours for £60,000
Picasso's 'David and Bathsheba' — printed on rare Chinese silk paper and intertwined with the artist's infamous and complicated love life — has come up for sale.
By Carla Passino Published
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Five of the National Trust's most outstanding paintings, as chosen by the curators who care for the charity’s world-class collection
As The National Trust celebrates its 130th anniversary, we asked five of their curators to choose a key artwork from the charity's huge collection.
By Carla Passino Last updated
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The grand master 'paintings' that are actually the most exquisite floral photographs you'll ever see
Harald Altmaier’s photographs of floral tableaux, as colossal in effort as in scale, recall 17th-century Dutch still lifes, but the inspiration behind them is far wider, as Carla Passino finds.
By Carla Passino Published
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The Legacy: Hans Sloane and the creation of the British Museum
A curious child who grew into a man of voracious intellectual curiosity, his life of collecting gave birth to one of the nation's great institutions.
By Carla Passino Published
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Lost and then found: A missing painting by Lord Leighton returns to London
Someone, somewhere, knows something about where it went.
By Carla Passino Published