Become an Instant Expert on… …the magical world of the herbarium

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew call them ‘a cross between a museum of priceless artefacts and a warehouse of birth certificates for plants’ – welcome to the fascinating world of herbariums. Our expert Mark Spencer reveals their history and links to art

Become an Instant Expert on Cezanne

Paul Cezanne – the father of modern art – is the focus of Tate Modern’s major autumn exhibition. Our expert, artist and art historian Michael Howard, explores Cezanne’s story, revealing how he achieved the results he did, and the ways other artists perceived him

How to become an instant expert on... Tutankhamun, the boy Pharaoh behind the tomb

This year marks a milestone in the history of Egyptology: the centenary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The world was agog for its discovery and treasures, but the young king himself remains an enigma. Our expert, Lucia Gahlin, examines his story

Become an Instant Expert on… The Japanese Garden, East and West

Tensions between opposites and no feng shui – these are what you’ll find in true Japanese gardens, says our expert Amanda Herries. Read on and discover all you need to know about their design and history – and how space must be a positive force

Become an instant expert on the temples of Angkor

This year marks 30 years since Angkor in Cambodia became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our expert, Denise Heywood, takes us on a tour of its extraordinary temples, which collectively make up one of the wonders of the world

Become an instant expert on colour theory in early modern art

How did artists such as Signac, Seurat and Monet harness colour so powerfully? By studying expert theories on its use, says Caroline Levisse. Here are the things to know about those theories, from how colours ‘behave’ to the ‘friendship’ of certain hues

Become an instant expert on reading the past through the medium of jewellery

Portable, practical, timeless and durable: the importance of the role of jewellery in tracking the progress of civilisation cannot be overestimated, says our expert John Benjamin. Mirroring changes in social and economic custom and behaviour, its sheer indestructibility has meant that, whether a simple gold ring or opulent tiara, jewellery has long acted as a lightning conductor to the past

BECOME AN INSTANT EXPERT ON RAPHAEL

His life was short but prolific – and such were his artistic skills that Picasso once said, ‘Leonardo da Vinci promises us heaven, Raphael gives it to us.’ Now, as the National Gallery has opened its long-awaited show of his works, Siân Walters reveals the things we should know about Raphael’s life and art

BECOME AN INSTANT EXPERT ON THE AZTECS

From where did they originate, how did they disappear – and why does the brilliant Aztec civilisation still loom so large in our collective memories? Art historian and Aztec expert Maria Chester reveals the answers

PETER THE GREAT AND HIS RADICAL REFORMS

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the birth of that giant figure in the history of Russia: Peter the Great. Our expert, Rosamund Bartlett, reveals what Peter did for Russian art and culture – and why his approach included a tax on beards 

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