The Venice Biennale is about to begin. After a year and more of tragedy, scandal and, let’s face it, farce, Rakewell can’t wait for the art to be centre stage again
A set of mirrors designed by Claude Lalanne sold for $33.5m this week, which has led Rakewell to reflect on the art of glass through the ages
Andrew Lloyd Webber is working on a musical charting the theft of the Mona Lisa – which puts Rakewell in mind of other times art has treaded the boards
The famous spiced anchovy paste, now tragically discontinued, was a condiment that provided a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds
A 15th-century painting of Saint Jerome that has been worn away by devotional kisses reminds Rakewell of other works that have been loved not wisely but too well
With reports that the great footballer-turned-manager is set to take over the French national team after the World Cup, Rakewell considers him as a work of art
The portrait on the cover of Allen’s latest album is now on display at the National Portrait Gallery – which puts the singer in very rarefied company indeed
The Bank of England’s announcement that nature will be the theme of the next set of bank notes has led to some wild-eyed responses
The news that the singer bought a portrait of himself at a Christmas market in Belfast last year without being recognised couldn’t be more on brand
Nostalgia was all the rage at the opening of Tate Modern’s Tracey Emin show this week, with appearances from Bianca Jagger and David Furnish
Bernini’s Roman elephant has lost a delicate part of its anatomy, while an implacable enemy of ancient Rome may have been found by Spanish researchers
There’s plenty of artistry on display at the Winter Olympics, but the showmanship of the opening ceremony was an art historical delight
Sabrina Carpenter held her own against the diva in a Muppet Show anniversary special, but Rakewell can’t help wishing that visual artists could also get in on the act
The Queen of Pop has been singing the praises of the British seaside town and its most famous resident, Tracey Emin
With Carr set to star in a new TV show about his search for the ideal Scottish castle, Rakewell wonders – does he prefer neoclassical or the Scots Baronial style?
A photo of the star at the Art Institute of Chicago whets Rakewell’s appetite for her upcoming turn in Sondheim’s musical about Seurat’s most famous painting
A painting-focused challenge on the hit BBC series has caught Rakewell’s attention, and reminds us all of the pleasures of the Victorian tableau vivant
The rise of the term ‘pitch curator’ to replace ‘groundsman’ shows that the influence of the art world is greater than even Rakewell suspected
After some grumbling by Emmanuel Macron, French electronic music is now on the country’s national list of Intangible Cultural Heritage – and should be on UNESCO’s soon
Fans of tableaux will enjoy a recreation of one of Scotland’s most famous paintings. Happy World Skating Day to all who celebrate!
The record-breaking auction of a Fabergé egg – and the bizarre theft of another such jewel – reminds Rakewell that there are many different ways to appreciate art
A Campbell’s executive has been caught bad-mouthing his company’s product, but if it’s good enough for Warhol, it’s good enough for Rakewell
The band has teamed up with Pantone to unveil a brand new colour, which reminds Rakewell of other musicians who have toyed with tints
Ever since Beyoncé released ‘Lemonade’ there’s been an uptick in women taking baseball bats to cars – and Kim K. is the latest to get in on the act
