Instant Expert
20 Dec 2022
Snow laden branches; a frozen lake in twilight; gleeful skaters on the ice… winter paintings are one of the joys of art history. They are also one of the most challenging genres to represent – with snow being difficult to capture convincingly. Our expert, Stella Grace Lyons, examines how artists have captured our frostiest season
18 Oct 2022
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
20 Sep 2022
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
16 Aug 2022
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
22 Jul 2022
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
22 Jun 2022
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
17 May 2022
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
19 Apr 2022
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
14 Mar 2022
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