Art and Antiques

In Focus: The story of life of St Clare, and other restituted paintings that found their way back home

My Favourite Painting: Viktor Wynd

Artist and collector Viktor Wynd chooses a haunting picture by Austin Osman Spare.

In Focus: Why Dora Maar’s vision placed her in the first rank of Surrealists

The brilliant, innovative photographer at the forefront of Surrealism was much more than merely Picasso’s mistress, says Matthew Dennison.

My Favourite Painting: James Birch

In Focus: The scandalous child of Empire, the murderous photographer and the woman who fatally brought them together

Eadweard Muybridge was not only the pioneering photographer of motion, but also a murderer. Jason Goodwin relishes this tale of the dashing rogue and adventurer who became his victim.

My Favourite Painting: Judith Weir

'This exquisitely decorated painting with a young, ginger-haired man screwing up his face, expressing disgust, and also fear, suggested by the whites of his eyes – such a vivid detail.'

In Focus: A masterpiece by Fergusson, the Scottish colourist whose work is tinged by French avant-garde

Lilias Wigan takes a look at a work by JD Fergusson that's statuesque, sculptural and erotic.

A tribute to the four great theatre talents we lost in 2019

Gone, but never forgotten, these four theatre giants shaped today's theatre in more ways than one. Michael Billington remembers.

My Favourite Painting: Ashley Hicks

Nine of the most astonishing objects you can see at National Trust properties, from priceless paintings to a wooden leg to a simple tunic with a heartbreaking tale to tell

We're taking a look at nine of the greatest objects on display in the National Trust's properties across Britain.

In Focus: How the belt of a goddess revealed the true colours of the Parthenon marbles

For nearly 200 years the Parthenon marbles held onto the secret they were suspected of keeping.

The Ickworth Velazquez that's one of the very greatest treasures of the National Trust

In the final part of our series looking at the National Trust's finest treasures, we look at one of the very finest paintings in the Trust's ownership.

Six new artists to watch at The 2020 London Art Fair

The London Art Fair has become a real highlight of the art world each year. James Elwes picks out half a dozen of the artists on display for whom he sees a bright future.

A 15th-century altar cloth that survives in almost miraculous condition, one of the National Trust's greatest treaures

Our series looking at the National Trust's finest treasures looks at a pre-Reformation altar front from Cotehele which has survived to the present day.

My Favourite Painting: Kim Wilkie

'The setting sun pulses, the motion in the waves and figures is slowly rhythmic and the mountains float on the horizon.'

A Chippendale table that's 'the epitome of light-hearted Chinoiserie design', one of the National Trust's greatest treasures

Our series looking at the National Trust's finest treasures takes aim at the Thomas Chippendale dressing table of Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire.

A pair of tureens that are a Rococo tour de force in silver, and among the finest treasures of the National Trust

We're taking a look at nine of the greatest objects on display in the National Trust's properties across Britain — this time around we look at the incredibly intricate soup tureens of Ickworth.

A great Italian masterpiece brought to life as a woodcut by an English genius, one of the National Trust's finest treasures

We're taking a look at nine of the greatest objects on display in the National Trust's properties across Britain — today it's the astonishing carving at Dunham Massey.

A man 'utterly consumed by the forces of love and passion', one of the National Trust's finest treasures

We're taking a look at nine of the greatest objects on display in the National Trust's properties across Britain — this edition examines a painting that is small in size and large in meaning.

A red tunic that tells a tale of sinking ships, man-eating sharks and stupendous bravery, one of the National Trust's finest treasures

We're taking a look at nine of the greatest objects on display in the National Trust's properties across Britain — and the choice today is a piece whose simplicity belies its story of tragedy, heroism, survival and recording of a dreadful incident.