Artists have long found beauty in the mundane, but choosing to represent everyday subject matter is a privilege that requires the luxury of time
The Portuguese-British painter told stories of parental abandonment, misogyny and exile with a power that put her in a class of her own
The monetary value of preparatory studies was slight in the Renaissance – but for the ideas they contained, they were worth their weight in gold
Artists have long embraced playful behaviour – not just as a form of creative release, but also as a way of dealing with conflict and taboo
The grounds of the Shortgrove estate in Newport, Essex, have long been lovingly preserved, but a new development now threatens its future
Turning black and white photos into colour – and vice versa – can be a harmless piece of fun, but the results can also mess with our sense of the past
The city claims that its decision to loosen the rules governing art auctions seeks to create a more consumer-friendly environment – but how can it?
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
With cracks appearing in the relationships of institutions in Nigeria, Barnaby Phillips wonders where the returned Benin Bronzes are going to end up
There is no great tradition of male nudes by women artists, but this underlines an asymmetry of power rather than a lack of female desire
Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium has just celebrated its third birthday but despite its shiny facade, the club still projects a message of continuity and tradition
The discovery of a ritual offering of 160 starfish and a jaguar skeleton to the Aztec god of war has got archaeologists excited to uncover its meaning
Wolf Burchard pays tribute to the expertise and open-mindedness of the chairman of Masterpiece who was a pillar of the world of decorative arts
Museums and galleries are keener than ever to display their environmental credentials – but words and deeds don’t always seem to match up
Lengthy exhibition texts, catalogues and essays are everywhere nowadays – but do they help us to see the art for what it really is?
Modern critics (and conspiracy theorists) have focused on the painter’s decadent side, but his subjects reflect the society of his day
As the city ‘arrives’ as a global art capital, how do the artists and curators who have been there for decades feel about the hype?
The Laban Dance Centre is being encroached upon by unsightly developments and it needs to be protected now
The charity Queer Britain is opening the country’s first space dedicated to LGBTQ+ culture, but will its programme entertain as well as educate?
Combining subtlety with swagger, Van Dyck’s portraits of courtiers offer a mischievous rival to the official written histories of his day
The largest mosaic found in London in half a century offers a welcome glimpse into the home-decorating choices of aspirational Britons
The author of beloved books such as the ‘Alfie’ series and ‘Dogger’ simply knew how children look and act
The wall is an extraordinary piece of public art and grassroots activism that combines personal remembrance and political statement
The conceptual artist and writer wasn’t afraid to stir things up, but he was also a great spotter and supporter of other people’s talent
December 2024
Emma Crichton-Miller
Apollo
Christina Makris
Christina Riggs
Rakewell
This episode explores an ancient funeral stele, Marie Antoinette’s breast bowl, and how digital technologies are helping to preserve Egyptian heritage sites
![Masterpiece [Re]discovery 2022. Photo: Ben Fisher Photography, courtesy of Masterpiece London](http://new-dev.apollo-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MPL2022_4263.jpg)
An everyday luxury – the artists finding beauty in banality
Artists have long found beauty in the mundane, but choosing to represent everyday subject matter is a privilege that requires the luxury of time