Features
The most approachable avant-garde artist in Britain – a tribute to Tom Phillips (1937–2022)
The artist who effortlessly crossed genres, but stayed close to south London, was best known for ‘A Humument’, a masterpiece 50 years in the making
Acquisitions of the Month: November 2022
Leonardo da Vinci’s sketch of a grumpy woman and an elaborate art nouveau tea set once owned by Karl Lagerfeld are among this month’s highlights
Mother superior – a very proud Mary in Florence
Packed with nods to the patron for whom it was painted, the ‘Adoration of the Shepherds’ is one of Domenico Ghirlandaio’s most appealing works
A mysterious Renaissance sorceress still casts her spell
The history of Dosso Dossi’s painting of the ‘sorceress’ – otherwise known as Melissa – reveals a bewitching tale of romance
Surveillance tactics – the art of spying on screen
The Cinémathèque française’s unsettling show about film-making and espionage reveals how much the two activities have in common
Mulling it over – how spiced wine became the festive drink of choice
Mulled wine may be the fuel for contemporary Christmas celebrations but drinking it is a tradition that dates back to antiquity
How did British artists respond to the AIDS crisis?
While Britain was no less affected by the disease than the United States, the response of its gay artists at the start of the crisis was provocatively distinct
An appetite for art – sampling the Tate’s Cézanne-inspired menu
A menu designed to accompany the gallery’s survey of the artist pays homage to the flavours of Provence, but doesn’t quite live up to the works on show
How Henry Fuseli turned poems into paintings
Few 18th-century painters were more enthusiastic about embracing English literature than the Swiss-born artist
The medieval Palazzo Davanzati in Florence is full of hidden wonders
Newly restored, this museum is both an architectural treasure and home to works by Masaccio’s unfairly overlooked younger brother
Acquisitions of the Month: October 2022
This month’s highlights include the 18th-century Chinese jardinière that Horace Walpole famously used as a fish bowl
Chasing the dragons – the art of ritual in ancient China
Curator Dany Chan takes a close look at an exquisite jade cup in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore
How Shoji Hamada reinvented British ceramic traditions
The Japanese ceramicist infused his approach to pottery with British traditions from his travels in the 1920s, before bringing this new style back to his native country
How artistic collaborations made Hennessy collectable
The maison’s limited-edition bottles designed by contemporary artists, designers and architects have secured its place as leader in the luxury market
Poetry in porcelain – a close look at a pair of bowls from the Qing dynasty
A delicately painted spring scene could suggest complex notions about beauty, hope and death
Surreal suppers – the Japanese art of artificial food
Shokuhin sampuru (food models) may serve the promotional function of luring diners into restaurants but the creation of each replica is a delicate craft
How the Peanuts cartoons captured the soul of post-war America
On the centenary of Charles M. Schulz’s birth, the cartoonist’s greatest creation still sums up the hopes and fears of the nuclear age
Grave matters – tussling over Tutankhamun
When the pharaoh’s tomb was discovered 100 years ago, the fate of its contents became a political minefield. Unpublished British papers reveal for the first time what was really at stake
How will European museums cope with the energy crisis this winter?
European countries have put short term regulations in place to help their museums conserve energy, but longer term strategies will be needed to secure their futures
The real O.C. now has a museum that provides a world-class welcome
The new Orange County Museum of Art has a stellar collection from California and a glitzy exterior to match
Acquisitions of the Month: September 2022
Two busts by the French sculptor Charles Cordier and a 15th-century triptych by the Master of the Krainburg Altar are among this month’s highlights
Scandinavia’s oldest biennial is a thoroughly monstrous affair
In its determination to keep things as local as possible the Lofoten International Art Festival doesn’t shy away from the dark corners of the region’s history
Stripped back – how a figure freed up Poussin’s painting
A figure that appears in Poussin’s ‘The Baptism of Christ’ may reveal the artist’s (secret) influence
The Provençal chef who defined French cooking
Auguste Escoffier’s childhood home in a tiny French village is now a museum that tells the tale of a playful dining visionary
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Seeing London through Frank Auerbach’s eyes