Art & Exhibitions
Extensive coverage of leading artists, and the visual and decorative arts, from Old Masters and antiques to contemporary painting, sculpture and crafts.
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Sir Antony Gormley: Why I am continually captivated by Adriaen de Vries’s radical sculpture Antiope and TheseusSir Antony Gormley writes about why Adriaen de Vries’s sculpture may look vastly different from his own, 'Reflect', but still shares with it a fascination with balance and instability.
By Sir Antony Gormley Published
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'He was a French artist enamoured with light and colour, movement and lightness'An upcoming auction at Dreweatts will see works by Paul Lucien Maze up for sale. James Fisher delights in the artist's chronicling of mid-20th-century British life.
By James Fisher Published
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Write side up: The enduring influence of literature in artThe most sensual pictures of women sprang from Ovid's verses, the Aeneid gave Turner his longest-lasting subject matter and Edward Burne-Jones saw himself in Arthur's deathless slumber.
By Carla Passino Published
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Pushing back against a culture of disposability: The enduring importance of craftCorrine Julius grapples with a world dominated by mass production, digital life, AI and explains why the unique and the tangible is spearheading a renaissance.
By Corinne Julius Published
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'He allowed lion and a tiger to prowl around the castle and, if an unfortunate servant was mauled, they were paid compensation': Exotic animals in artExotic animals — whether dreamy-eyed rhinos, improbable flocks of birds from different latitudes or muscular big cats rendered in exact detail — captured the eye of artists in Europe, but also in their native countries.
By Michael Prodger Published
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'He was really the most radical artist of the 19th century': Georges Seurat at the Courtauld GalleryGeorges Seurat spent much of his short life painting the quietude of the Northern French coast, honing his rigorous technique on the play of light, sky and water.
By Carla Passino Published
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This Civil War coat and armour has survived four centuries in almost perfect condition — apart from the hole made by the musket ball that killed the man who wore itJohn Goodall visits Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire to discover the tale of one of its most extraordinary artefacts: the coat worn by a 17th century nobleman when he was killed during one of the key battles of the English Civil War.
By John Goodall Published
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The British Museum's successful attempt to save a Tudor-era pendant with links to Henry VIII is proof that the institution is on the upAfter years of neglect and controversy, Britain's premier cultural institution seems to be finding its feet again.
By Athena Last updated
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Cybele and Juno statues finally return to Stowe's south-front porticoThe statues were originally lost after a content sale, but have been dutifully re-created as part of an ongoing restoration programme.
By Julie Harding Published
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A study in sculpture: 10 of the finest pieces from the Royal CollectionA new catalogue in four volumes explores the extraordinary riches of the sculpture in the Royal Collection. Its author, Sir Jonathan Marsden, selects 10 of his favourite works that reflect the diversity of this astonishing collection.
By Sir Jonathan Marsden Published
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Eileen Soper: The 'schoolgirl among the masters' with paintings in millions of homes, even yoursRenowned for illustrating the ‘Famous Five’ series, the mercurial, motorcar-obsessed Eileen Soper lived a bucolic and eccentric life.
By Ian Morton Published
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A mesmerising portrait in the eerie country house that inspired Charlotte Brontë to write 'Jane Eyre'A dark episode in the family history of Norton Conyers inspired a young Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre — but the hidden attic is just one of many treasures in this grand Yorkshire house.
By John Goodall Published
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The monk strap: Where did the shoe with sole and sophistication come from?Amie Elizabeth White charts the history of the monk strap shoe — beloved by Clark Gable, Cary Grant and James Bond.
By Amie Elizabeth White Published
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Twenty momentous photographs from the last 100 years that define our historyEvery photograph tells a story and none more so than these 20 unforgettable ones.
By Lucy Ford Last updated
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The 'micro mosaic' at Holkham Hall that uses a fascinating, unusual technique pioneered by the VaticanJohn Goodall speaks to the Earl of Leicester about one of the most unusual and beautiful objects at Holkham Hall in Norfolk.
By John Goodall Published
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Tate-à-tête: The National Gallery’s promise to grow its modern-art collection risks reopening old woundsThe National Gallery's announcement of a new wing and more modern art promises to reignite a historic rivalry with Tate.
By Will Hosie Published
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The artistic and historical treasures in Ireland that you must visit at least once in a lifetimeIn our new series, Charlotte Mullins explores the visual history of the British Isles in 50 treasures, from Ice Age caves to Sutton Hoo. Her first instalment looks at the treasures to be found in Ireland.
By Charlotte Mullins Published
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How the spirit of Andy Warhol lives on through ChristmasAndy Warhol found Christmas a tricky time, yet threw himself into the festivities and, when he decided to illustrate his series on American myths, he had no doubt he should include the jolly old man in the bright red suit.
By Carla Passino Published
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Has the secret of Vermeer’s most enigmatic masterpiece finally been revealed? A British art historian’s controversial claim to have uncovered the true identity of 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'Andrew Graham-Dixon talks to Carla Passino about Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' — an iconic example of Dutch Golden Age art and one of the most famous paintings in the world.
By Carla Passino Published
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Dragonflies, flowers, dogs and lobsters: The 17th century nature brought back to life by the paintings of Alexander MarshalAlexander Marshal — this country’s first major botanical painter — deserves to be better known, writes Tiffany Daneff, after seeing his luminous originals in the Royal Collection.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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The accidental Impressionist who captures country life on canvasPainting a local cricket match, Sherree Valentine-Daines received an invitation that changed her career and led her to become artist-in-residence at Goodwood
By Carla Passino Published


