Annie Morris, Sunil Gupta, Edmund de Waal and other artists reflect on what’s made them feel a little more positive this year
The painter discusses dancehalls, club music and drawing in the dark
John Betjeman’s nostalgic verse memoir was well served by its illustrators
The recent dismissal of two respected museum directors widens the gulf between the ministry of culture and the contemporary arts sector
Brilliant and charismatic, the British Museum curator was dedicated to sharing his passion for ancient Greece
With his monuments to Union statesmen and soldiers, the artist acknowledged the unfinished business of the past
A decade after the uprisings that led to the downfall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the clocks he loved remain
Canadian landscapes by Emily Carr and a major fresco by Tiepolo are among this month’s highlights
Whether breaching the Iron Curtain or riding pillion in her eighties, 'Madame Antonova' – director of the Pushkin Museum for 52 years – was a force to be reckoned with
Historical African artists are rarely named in museums – but we must retrieve what information we can
The sacred mountainside site of Nikko comprises both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines – many of which have been restored to their 17th-century splendour
The collecting of women has often been regarded as mere shopping, but the efforts of both princesses and professional artists are now receiving their rightful dues
Jacques Le Moyne’s intricate depictions of flowers and herbs were a pioneering contribution to the field of botanical illustration
A new cookbook may inspire you to make Cullen skink with Douglas Gordon or Ming Wong’s congee with canned fish
A new international agreement raises questions about what counts as cultural property in space, how it should be protected and who should do the protecting
The invention of the modern bicycle in 1885 led to a whirl of enthusiasm for racing these new machines – and artists were swept up in the craze
An auction in Paris of a prominent Tunisian family’s heirlooms was stopped earlier this year, but the country’s heritage still needs better protection
A group of Dutch drawings and a collection of pre-cinematic devices are among this month’s highlights
Restoration work at the Norfolk house has uncovered fascinating evidence of its past as a Catholic stronghold – in part preserved by nesting rodents
It might not work from the outside, but inside Plymouth’s new civic museum curators have taken a fresh approach to Plymouth’s wide-ranging collections
The gardens’ latest restaurant occupies the site of their first refreshment pavilion – which has a surprisingly turbulent history
Photographs show that Walter and Louise Arensberg’s art-filled house in the Hollywood Hills was constantly in flux
The subject of a well-known miniature by Isaac Oliver has long been a mystery, but could the painting’s motto offer a clue to its sitter’s identity?
From eye miniatures to lockets of hair, historical love tokens brought people together even when they were apart
