What makes a museum ‘fire-proof’?
As wildfires rage in Southern California and at the edge of the Getty Villa, we revisit the 2019 fire near the Getty Center and the museum’s fire prevention systems that set standards around the world
‘She had no time for elitism, but was passionate about excellence’ – a tribute to Rosalind Savill
The Sienese painters who sparked a revolution in European art
The innovations of artists in the first half of the 14th century created new pathways for painting for centuries to come
Back to the future? The return of the art of divination
From the ancient world to modern times, humans have looked to the esoteric arts to answer questions about life, the universe and everything
The painterly brilliance of Luchino Visconti
‘The Leopard’ is the Italian film-maker’s masterpiece, and it owes much of its visual splendour to 19th-century paintings
Where is the art market headed in 2025?
While many in the trade will be glad to see the back of 2024, whether the year ahead will be an improvement is completely up in the air
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After centuries of neglect, Plautilla Nelli’s reputation is soaring again
The resurgence of interest in female Renaissance painters has reached the Florentine nun and her workshop – and it’s time to pay more attention to artists in other Tuscan convents
What the shape of things to come used to look like
Glenn Adamson’s new book shows that predictions about the future have always spoken volumes about the present
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In the studio with… Chrissie Hynde
The rockstar-turned-artist revels in her solitude and shuts the door to everyone except her dog when she’s in the studio – which is also her flat
In the studio with… Stanley Donwood
Best known for his designs for Radiohead’s album covers, the artist enjoys the sea air but laments the fug of wood varnish in his Brighton studio
January 2025
• The art of divination
• Will the art market recover in 2025?
• The obsessive collecting of Mario Praz
• An interview with Jake Grewal
Also: Edith Wharton’s dream house, the tempting textiles of Sheila Hicks, how the return of Asante gold has been received in Ghana, the architect who startled Georgian London; reviews of Sienese painting at the Met and high tech art at Tate Modern, the life of Augustus the Strong and a photo-novel about eccentric sisters. Plus: Hettie Judah on the problem with portraits
Arty films to look out for in 2025
From Adrien Brody’s architect in ‘The Brutalist’ to Tilda Swinton curating a post-apocalyptic gallery, art lovers have plenty to look forward to on screen
The major museum openings of 2025
The United States will be the centre of attention, but from London to Warsaw to Abu Dhabi, it’s a bumper year for museum-goers all over the world
Pierre Bonnard’s world of interiors
The painter’s vibrant domestic scenes are full of revealing details – and so is Isabelle Cahn’s weighty new biography of the painter
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Letizia Battaglia’s photographs bring you up close and personal in Palermo
The photojournalist endured death threats to capture the turmoil of the Sicilian capital during the 1970s and ’80s
The art of crossing continents – ‘Silk Roads’ at the British Museum, reviewed
An exhibition about the civilisations that could be found along the trade route connects cultures at every turn, writes Sameer Rahim
Acquisitions of the month: November 2024
A panel by Fra Angelico and a video work acquired using cryptocurrency are among the most significant artworks to enter public collections recently
Contemporary art gets a permanent home in Malta
A 17th-century fort is now full of 21st-century art, and although the project has been a troubled one, the results are worth the wait
How Oxford became a pale shade of its former self
The replacement of Boswell’s department store with a luxury hotel is part of a beautification process that has gathered pace in recent years
The dreams of the Surrealists have become the stuff of our reality
The ideas and images of the artists who unleashed their unconscious on the world a century ago are now part of the fabric of everyday life
The cosmic art of Liliane Lijn
The artist has pursued her interest in light, motion and myth across drawing, sculpture and performance for six decades, but it’s her openness to new ideas that really defines her work
The Mughal emperors who forged a new artistic tradition
At its peak, the Mughal empire brought together scholars and artists of different languages and faiths to create art fit for kings
Nature on Notice: Contemporary Art and Ecology
A chance to see how artists from Southern California and elsewhere are engaging with the climate emergency and ecological imbalance
If Books Could Kill
Knowledge can be toxic, as this selection of killer manuscripts from the collection of the Walters Art Museum demonstrates
Tissot, Women and Time
James Tissot’s gimlet-eyed depictions of women’s lives and fashions in 19th-century Paris and London are celebrated in Toronto
Out of the Ordinary: Uncommon Materials, Marks, and Matrices
The Hammer Museum honours the artists who have poured blood, sweat, tears or other unusual substances into their work