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‘This is a wildflower meadow of an exhibition’ – a paean to plants at Dulwich Picture Gallery
A survey of 180 years of botanical photography proves that the art form continues to flourish
Scandi style – Anders Zorn’s visions of Sweden
The painter, who enjoyed a glittering international career, was as fascinated by high society as he was by Sweden’s rural life
Rate of return – is France’s commitment to restitution waning?
In a changing political climate, conversations about colonial history – and calls for action – are taking on a new urgency
Arty films and books to look forward to in 2021
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
Bard boy – David Garrick and the cult of Shakespeare
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
The major art anniversaries to look out for in 2021
Plans for exhibitions and events may be up in the air, but the anniversaries they mark are fixed in the calendar
What does 2021 hold for the wounded art market?
The art market, like many other business sectors, is not about to revert to its pre-pandemic appearance
Silver linings – artists share their hopeful moments from 2020
Annie Morris, Sunil Gupta, Edmund de Waal and other artists reflect on what’s made them feel a little more positive this year
Club classics – on the dance floor with Denzil Forrester
The painter discusses dancehalls, club music and drawing in the dark
Buttered toast and bridge evenings – Summoned by Bells revisited
John Betjeman’s nostalgic verse memoir was well served by its illustrators
Spanish pointers – Rosalind Nashashibi at the National Gallery
During a residency at the gallery, the artist has made works inspired by the drama of Spanish Golden Age painting
Concerns rise about cultural freedom in Slovenia
The recent dismissal of two respected museum directors widens the gulf between the ministry of culture and the contemporary arts sector
‘The Parthenon was but the tip of the iceberg’ – remembering Ian Jenkins (1953–2020)
Brilliant and charismatic, the British Museum curator was dedicated to sharing his passion for ancient Greece
The agony and the ecstasy – Tracey Emin and Edvard Munch at the RA, reviewed
This triumphant double bill brims with emotion – from the pain of loss to the pleasures of beauty
Fantasy land – a guide to English follies
A personal guide to the playful structures has much in common with its whimsical subject
Keeping time – the Tunisian clock monuments that tell of a bygone regime
A decade after the uprisings that led to the downfall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the clocks he loved remain
Prince Albert’s passion for Raphael
When it came to cataloguing the Royal Collection’s holdings of the Old Master, only the latest technology would do for the Prince Consort
‘These ancient rock paintings are unlikely to be about what was for dinner’
The meaning of tens of thousands of recently discovered rock paintings in Colombia will be a hotly debated topic for many years to come
Acquisitions of the Month: November 2020
Canadian landscapes by Emily Carr and a major fresco by Tiepolo are among this month’s highlights
‘The curatorial coups she pulled off are legendary’ – on Irina Antonova (1922–2020)
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
Banksy and the art of sneezing
Banksy has decorated a wall in Bristol with a sneeze – leading Rakewell to ponder the art of sneezing
‘It has all the twists and turns of a classic detective story’ – unwrapping the Turin Shroud
A scholar’s 40-year quest to trace the origins of the world’s most famous length of linen makes for a gripping read
Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ films are a great feat of storytelling
By bringing recent Black British history to life, the film-maker has also conjured up a world full of joy and anger
Can historic houses tell more stories than they have done?
All the evidence suggests that the real challenge for historic properties is to present a much fuller and more complex account of the past