Features
Who is responsible for heritage in outer space?
A new international agreement raises questions about what counts as cultural property in space, how it should be protected and who should do the protecting
Chain reaction – the art of bicycle racing
The invention of the modern bicycle in 1885 led to a whirl of enthusiasm for racing these new machines – and artists were swept up in the craze
Keeping it in the family – the neglect of Tunisia’s 19th-century heritage
An auction in Paris of a prominent Tunisian family’s heirlooms was stopped earlier this year, but the country’s heritage still needs better protection
Acquisitions of the Month: October 2020
A group of Dutch drawings and a collection of pre-cinematic devices are among this month’s highlights
Rats’ nests and recusant history at Oxburgh Hall
Restoration work at the Norfolk house has uncovered fascinating evidence of its past as a Catholic stronghold – in part preserved by nesting rodents
‘It is hard not to smile on first stepping inside the Box’ – at Plymouth’s new museum
It might not work from the outside, but inside Plymouth’s new civic museum curators have taken a fresh approach to Plymouth’s wide-ranging collections
Storm in a teacup – at Kew’s pavilion restaurant
The gardens’ latest restaurant occupies the site of their first refreshment pavilion – which has a surprisingly turbulent history
Domesticated Duchamp – how photography framed a great modern collection
Photographs show that Walter and Louise Arensberg’s art-filled house in the Hollywood Hills was constantly in flux
A mystery in miniature – Isaac Oliver, the Virginia colonists and The Tempest
The subject of a well-known miniature by Isaac Oliver has long been a mystery, but could the painting’s motto offer a clue to its sitter’s identity?
Token gestures – the jewellery of long-distance love
From eye miniatures to lockets of hair, historical love tokens brought people together even when they were apart
Acquisitions of the Month: September 2020
A portrait of an 18th-century comedienne and a long-lost manuscript by Gauguin are among this month’s highlights
Stone cold masterpieces – the art of the Olmecs
Olmec artists from the Gulf Coast region of Mexico produced some of the most striking sculptures in the ancient Americas
The shows must go on – what not to miss during Frieze week this year
There are no tents going up in Regent’s Park this year, but there are still plenty of shows worth visiting. Apollo’s editors select their highlights
‘I read the beginning and end of thousands of manuscripts’
Digitising an important collection of manuscripts in the Khalidi Library in Old Jerusalem is a painstaking task
Romance and relics in Chopin’s Warsaw
Although the composer spent most of his life elsewhere, his ghost is ubiquitous in the Polish capital
A farewell to boredom – at Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara
The 14th-century pleasure palace has reopened after a two-year renovation – and its mysteries are as diverting as ever
‘The roll call of artists who donned a uniform in 1870 is remarkable’
The Franco-Prussian war led to lasting political change and left behind a rich visual record
Acquisitions of the Month: August 2020
A trove of newly discovered Hokusai drawings and a 17th-century ‘friendship book’ are among this month’s highlights
The late Robert Freeman was the Beatles’ favourite photographer – and now his entire archive has been stolen
From his portraits of Khrushchev and John Coltrane to celebrated album covers for the Beatles, Freeman’s entire archive was taken just weeks after his death
After the blast – at the Sursock Palace and Museum in Beirut
Surveying the damage at this landmark suggests how long and difficult the road to rebuild Beirut – once again – will be
Sugar high – the fine art of fast food
A super-sized dollop of whipped cream now tops the Fourth Plinth – and there’s plenty more where that came from
Leap of faith – how Mark Rothko reimagined religious art for the modern age
For his chapel commission in Houston, the painter engaged with religion on his own terms – and forged a new, modern relevance for sacred art
Breaking the glass ceiling? Women and the world of Murano
Insular and secretive, the Murano glass industry has historically excluded women – but that may soon change
‘An amplitude of personal charm’ – Desmond Guinness (1931–2020)
Desmond Guinness fought against the odds, and often against public opinion, to save Irish Georgian houses – and the nation will be forever in his debt
Are the art market’s problems being blown out of proportion?