The secret meaning of Vermeer’s art

The piece I’d never part with

In 1494, the high castle walls that had dominated the Middle Ages came tumbling down in clouds of gunpowder smoke. It was the start of a new age

The Birth of Venus is part of our visual lexicon – we have all seen her, but what do we really know about this goddess? All the medieval fantasy and symbolism of 14th century Florence are wrapped up i

EN PLEIN AIR ARTISTS are deeply connected to the changing seasons, continually inspired by how nature’s transformations shape their subjects. The onset of autumn in Southern France, for example, trans

The National Gallery’s announcement of a new wing and more modern art–enabled by an unprecedented £375 million fund–promises to reignite a historic rivalry with Tate. Will Hosie investigates