Funny peculiar or funny haha? Perhaps some of the artists who seem a bit obscure are actually trying to make us laugh
The eye may be our most perceptive organ, but it can sometimes make us blind to the other senses
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
The history of Dosso Dossi's painting of the ‘sorceress’ – otherwise known as Melissa – reveals a bewitching tale of romance
Thanks to mass production (and reproduction), in the 19th-century some middle-class homes began to resemble miniature picture galleries
For seven decades, Milton Gendel recorded his charmed existence in delightfully candid photos and diaries
The Cinémathèque française’s unsettling show about film-making and espionage reveals how much the two activities have in common
Are NFTs a revolutionary approach to new media art or simply a fleeting trend? Jane Morris explores the role of non-fungible tokens today
Mulled wine may be the fuel for contemporary Christmas celebrations but drinking it is a tradition that dates back to antiquity
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
When it comes to gold-ground paintings from Italy, condition is everything and the older the work, the better
Contemporary artists are looking to geological forms less for aesthetic cues than for perspective on time, place and human agency
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
Other European dynasties of the period had equally thriving court cultures, but none has had such a hold on the popular imagination
Tanya Harrod’s biography of the unfairly neglected painter champions his scenes of London working-class life
Few 18th-century painters were more enthusiastic about embracing English literature than the Swiss-born artist
The Polish artist sometimes worked at a monumental scale, but her most impressive works are less about the size than the power of their expression
Unused postcards may seem like a blast from the past, but they can still send a powerful message
A display in Vienna charts the history of one of the world’s first public museums
Contemporary artists explore the fearful potential of architecture at Ikon gallery in Birmingham
The American abstract painter’s soak-stain canvases and vivid works on paper get their first showing in Germany for more than 20 years
The Met celebrates the inventiveness with which ancient Maya artists depicted the life cycles of their gods
Plus: Nottingham Castle Trust goes into liquidation, and the rest of the week’s top stories
Phrygian cap or pussy hat? The mascot for the 2024 Paris Olympics seems to be making a bid for freedom
