Hokusai imagined a massive breaker about to crash on tiny fishing boats. Sandro Botticelli had his Venus float in her shell on a mere sea ripple. Large or small, soothing or frightening, waves have long captivated artists, finds Michael Prodger

The piece I’d never part with

I chose to paint this scene from the Cob Harbour at Lyme Regis because it captures a quiet, reflective moment that’s an alternative to the bustle of the town. We often holiday in Devon, and Lyme Regis

A poet who prospered despite Rome’s bloody civil wars

The Taking of Christ , 1602, oil on ...

A PROFESSIONAL CAREER AS AN ART DIRECTOR helped Frank Walters set up a thriving watercolour brand several years ago. With his own YouTube channel, @frankwatercolour, he also teaches at Kew Art Studio,