In depicting scenes of Bacchic revelry, painters such as Michaelina Wautier and Angelica Kauffman were tapping into an ancient ritual
Artists from Pinturicchio to the Pre-Raphaelites found a rich subject in Penelope’s marital fidelity – but is she as two-dimensional as they would have her?
From Lego versions of Impressionist paintings to Paint by Number kits, here are five ways you can copy your favourite artists and architects at home
Whitechapel Gallery is marking its 125th anniversary with a biennial that is taking place across east London. Can it help the gallery find a new generation of art lovers?
Before she became a novelist, the writer studied architecture – and even made and acted in a film about idealistic students who want to do things their way
A show about Peggy Guggenheim’s time running a gallery in London could have a touch more fun with its subject
A biblical scene by Lavinia Fontana and a huge collection of Palestinian textiles are among the most exciting objects to enter public collections recently
The Musée du Quai Branly is 20 this year. It has long aspired to be a place of post-colonial dialogue between cultures. Is this finally becoming a reality?
The New York Historical has been charting America’s history for more than two centuries. What does a brand new wing dedicated to democracy add to the story?
When Félix Houphouët-Boigny became president of the newly independent Côte d’Ivoire in 1960, he planned a vast new capital. Today Yamoussoukro’s oversized architecture makes for a curious legacy
Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller’s landscapes seem idealised but their quietly radical nature put him at odds with the art establishment of his day
A domestic scene of comfort and ease by the American artist demonstrates her skill for conveying hidden depths
A wine estate chapel redecorated by Sol LeWitt and David Tremlet is a unique blend of viticulture and art
Feasting in medieval Europe was often a celebration of plenty, but it could just as easily be linked to damnation
At the MAK in Vienna, placing gemstones alongside more everyday designs brings out the artistry in both
The Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been in limbo for 30 years. With no state support, it raises funds as it can, but is determined to bring people together
‘Tablescaping’ is nothing new – just look at these dazzling centrepieces made by 18th- and 19th-century goldsmiths
Highlights include a collection of 20th-century Haitian art for Princeton and a rare letter by Rubens for the Rubenshuis
When David Hockney wrote a book arguing that many Old Master painters used optical devices, the idea was hotly debated by art historians. In 2010, he talked to Martin Gayford about his unorthodox and firmly held belief
Masterpieces by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera have a rare outing in Mexico City this summer, but their impending move to Spain has raised hackles
The wine producer Ornellaia has commissioned the artist to create labels for its 2023 vintage – an apt choice, given her interest in full-bodied transformations
The Vienna museum dedicated to works on paper is celebrating its anniversary by looking back to its founders – and hatching big plans for the future
The David Geffen Galleries are a bold answer to the problem of the ‘universal’ museum, with an emphasis on looking at the works rather than reading about them
An Irish radical who had a brief stint at Roger Fry’s Omega Workshops, this talented artist emerges from a new exhibition and biography as elusive as the figures in her paintings
