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The years when Art was part of the Olympics — and the double-gold winning painter who became its greatest championFor decades in the early 20th century, the Olympic Games included events in art, literature and music. Only one person won more than a single gold medal in those years: Jean Jacoby, a painter from Luxembourg who remains his country's most decorated Olympian.
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The foundry where Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Nic Fiddian-Green cast their bronzesOne of the oldest foundries in the world, Morris Singer in Hampshire has a long and storied past, creating art and sculpture for everyone from artists to dictators.
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'I painted my own reality': The five key moments that defined Frida Kahlo's life and work70 years on from the death of Frida Kahlo, Carla Passino takes a look at the work and life of the trailblazing artist.
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'She adored Elvis and wore slippers with his face printed on them': How Debo Devonshire is inspiring fashion 10 years after her deathDesigner Erdem Moralioglu’s must-see exhibition in Derbyshire is a loving tribute to Debo Devonshire and her passion for Chatsworth, chickens and couture, says Kim Parker.
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Curious Questions: Why are there so few smiles in art?Centuries of portraits down the ages — and vanishingly few in which the subjects smile. Carla Passino delves into the reasons why, and discovers some fascinating answers.
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Full steam ahead: The art of railThe railway may have started its artistic life as a fire-breathing monster that devoured the countryside, but it soon became an emblem of advancing modernity, a cherished memento of the past and even, in the case of one station, the centre of the universe. Carlo Passino explains.
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'If you get 12 great photographs a year, you're doing well': Charlie Waite on the secrets of landscape photographyThe world-renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite joins the Country Life Podcast.
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My Favourite Painting: Rob HouchenThe actor Rob Houchen chooses a bold and challenging Egon Schiele work.
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FREYWILLE: Works of artFamous paintings by some of the greatest artists the world has ever seen are the inspiration behind exquisite new collections created by jeweller FREYWILLE.
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Six things to know about the Royal Academy's Summer ExhibitionThe 2024 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is here. Country Life's Arts and Antiques Editor Carla Passino shares some trivia and tips for how to get the most out of it.
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Before the palazzo there was Petersfield: The Hampshire cottage where Peggy Guggenheim learned to love the art worldHumble Yew Tree Cottage stands in stark contrast to the excesses of this great art collector, but was a formative period in her life and is the subject of a new exhibition.
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Celebrating the act of looking and drawing from life: New English Art Club presents latest annual exhibitionCreated to counteract the 'stuffiness' of the Royal Academy, the New English Art Club nurtured and encouraged some of Britain's best artists. The group's latest exhibition begins this week, with plenty of works for sale.
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The circus performer who literally gritted her teeth to earn success and fame — and inspired one of the great Impressionist paintings of the 1880sWhen Miss La La hoisted herself to the top of the circus tent by a rope clenched in her jaws, she dazzled not only crowds across France and Britain, but also Edgar Degas. Carla Passino tells the story of the artiste — and the artist.
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The 12 most iconic paintings in The National Gallery, by gallery curator Dr Francesca Whitlum-CooperDr Francesca Whitlum-Cooper joins the Country Life Podcast to share how she and the team at the National Gallery picked the 12 most iconic pieces from the collection to celebrate the gallery's 200th anniversary.
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Curious Questions: What happened to saucy seaside postcards?Saucy seaside postcards were once a mainstay of British life over the summer, but these days they're rarely seen. Martin Fone asks why, and discovers the history of artists such as Donald McGill who turned wry, naughty humour into a huge industry.
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How a 20-year-old Leonora Carrington told off one of Surrealism's leading lights, and embarked on a career which has just seen her masterpiece go for $22 millionA densely-packed masterpiece by the brilliant Surrealist artist Leonora Carrington has just set a record at auction. We take a look at the life and emergence of the feisty young Lancastrian behind the $22 million sale of 'Les Distractions de Dagobert.
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The English climate destroyed almost all our medieval church paintings — but not these onesWinged creatures, robed figures and celestial bodies are under threat in a rural church. Jo Caird speaks to the conservators working to save northern Europe’s most complete Romanesque wall paintings.
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Michael Prodger: How Britain’s landscapes have inspired painters across the centuriesConstable thought of his beloved Stour valley as his mistress, Samuel Palmer saw the Darent valley as a soft, pillowy realm where corn is always ripe. Michael Prodger reveals how Britain’s landscapes have inspired painters across the centuries.
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A century of Royal Photography is going on show at Buckingham Palace, from Cecil Beaton to Annie LeibovitzThe Royal Collection Trust's summer exhibition at Buckingham Palace brings together some of the most wonderful royal portraits ever taken. Jack Watkins takes a look.
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The secret life of one of England's greatest authors, lost behind bad handwritingA recently acquired memoir by Jane Austen's brother might reveal more about the famous author, but there's a problem — his handwriting is very difficult to read
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The mystery of the hedge: How an exhibition on these living walls seeks to explain our fascination with their place in the landscapeGareth Gardner wondered if he was the only photographer interested in hedges. Now he has the answer.
