Features

Suspect and bona fide works rub shoulders at the Museum Ludwig in Cologne – in a display the museum presents as an opportunity for close looking

The Swiss artist reinvented history painting from a female perspective. It’s a shame a planned exhibition about her in London has been cancelled

The novelist’s Ripley thrillers explore deceit like no others – but her candid drawings tell a different story

Palazzo Poggi houses the extraordinary 18th-century creations of a school dedicated to wax modelling – invaluable tools for medical students at the time

Courtroom sketches from the trials of Alfred Dreyfus and of Émile Zola are among this month’s highlights – along with a major collection of arms and armour

In a changing political climate, conversations about colonial history – and calls for action – are taking on a new urgency

From a Netflix flick about the Sutton Hoo dig to a study of women’s self-portraits – the must-see movies and a first reading list for art lovers

The actor did more than anyone to revive Shakespeare’s reputation in the 18th century – and a plethora of curious wooden relics also played their part

Plans for exhibitions and events may be up in the air, but the anniversaries they mark are fixed in the calendar

Annie Morris, Sunil Gupta, Edmund de Waal and other artists reflect on what’s made them feel a little more positive this year

The painter discusses dancehalls, club music and drawing in the dark

John Betjeman’s nostalgic verse memoir was well served by its illustrators

The recent dismissal of two respected museum directors widens the gulf between the ministry of culture and the contemporary arts sector

Brilliant and charismatic, the British Museum curator was dedicated to sharing his passion for ancient Greece

A decade after the uprisings that led to the downfall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the clocks he loved remain

Canadian landscapes by Emily Carr and a major fresco by Tiepolo are among this month’s highlights

Whether breaching the Iron Curtain or riding pillion in her eighties, ‘Madame Antonova’ – director of the Pushkin Museum for 52 years – was a force to be reckoned with

Historical African artists are rarely named in museums – but we must retrieve what information we can

The sacred mountainside site of Nikko comprises both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines – many of which have been restored to their 17th-century splendour

The collecting of women has often been regarded as mere shopping, but the efforts of both princesses and professional artists are now receiving their rightful dues

Jacques Le Moyne’s intricate depictions of flowers and herbs were a pioneering contribution to the field of botanical illustration