The budding stars of Irish botanical art
Patricia Butler’s account of 300 years of botanical drawings from Ireland is both a history of art and a history of science
An insider’s guide to 18th-century Ireland
Robert O’Byrne reads between the lines of the itemised contents of great Irish houses
The contemporary artists who are paying their respects to Piranesi
Piranesi may have fallen out with his Irish patron but, in modern-day Dublin, artists inspired by his example are looking to mend fences
Why was the Royal Academy so willing to let one of its most treasured pieces go?
Sixty years ago the Royal Academy announced the sale of a cartoon by Leonardo da Vinci to fund its activities, but did it make the right decision?
Can an exhibition represent a nation?
Exhibitions can successfully capture a cultural and social moment, but they are as much a glimpse into the mindset of the curators as they are into the art of that time
Walter Sickert may have tackled some taboos – but that doesn’t make him a serial killer
Modern critics (and conspiracy theorists) have focused on the painter’s decadent side, but his subjects reflect the society of his day
A tribute to Homan Potterton (1946–2020)
As a young museum director, Homan Potterton transformed the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection – but he would resign suddenly, later gaining success as a writer
‘An amplitude of personal charm’ – Desmond Guinness (1931–2020)
Desmond Guinness fought against the odds, and often against public opinion, to save Irish Georgian houses – and the nation will be forever in his debt
Celtic revival? Recording Ireland’s historic buildings
Would that the Buildings of Ireland series could be completed – the architectural riches of Central Leinster and Cork are well served by two new volumes
Midcentury unmodern – how antique furnishings fell out of fashion
In the October 1945 issue of Apollo, readers ‘of moderate means’ were advised to invest in brown furniture – an unpopular but economical choice
The drawings that capture Ireland’s crumbling castles
John Nankivell has specialised in recording decaying historic buildings, but his work also provides some reasons for hope
The artists of Georgian Dublin deserve another look
An exhibition celebrating the Society of Artists in Ireland casts light on some lesser-known 18th-century figures
Ireland is finally splashing out on its heritage – but why now?
The Irish government has announced a grand investment package for the country’s culture sector. But is it too little, too late?
Nicola Gordon Bowe (1948–2018)
The scholar, teacher and advocate of the applied arts of 20th-century Ireland has died at the age of 69
The man who made Ireland’s favourite painting
Frederic William Burton’s sentimental watercolour scenes reflect the taste of a bygone era
The Irish art galleries ringing the changes in 2018
Highlights in Dublin and Cork this year include exhibitions on Brian Maguire, Wolfgang Tillmans and Mary Swanzy
The Yeats Collection sale is only the latest sign of Ireland’s broken heritage export system
It’s time for leading cultural figures to work with the state to reform Irish heritage protection
The National Gallery of Ireland enters a new era
The National Gallery of Ireland’s six-year-long refurbishment gives its Old Masters and Irish paintings a chance to shine
The fake feud between Picasso and Matisse
Shortly after Matisse’s death, Clive Bell called time on the artist’s rivalry with Picasso – and rightly so
A look back over Rodin’s rollercoaster career
The French sculptor attracted commissions and controversy in equal measure, and his reputation is constantly being reassessed
‘He helped set the standard for Apollo’
Tancred Borenius (1885–1948), one of Apollo’s earliest contributors, is remembered for his significant contribution to art history and criticism
A look back at the beautifully inventive art of the Mamluks
The artistic achievements of the Mamluks rival those of the Renaissance, argued Mahonri Sharp Young in a 1981 issue of Apollo
The flower painter who was fed up with his masterpieces
Henri Fantin-Latour’s finest works are the flower paintings that he made in bulk – but he didn’t think so
The rise and fall of Chesterfield House
Once one of London’s most impressive private palaces, the house successfully melded a mix of architectural styles but this wasn’t enough to save it from its fate