Blue plaque blues

An ocean of prejudice met the American heiresses who came to Britain at the dawn of the 20th century, but there was more to them than their wealth. Some earned their own titles, one flew helicopters and another made history as Britain’s first female MP

Take a good dollop of Victorian innovation, add a fistful of classics, season it liberally with creative genius and you’ll cook up the very British art of literary illustration. Carla Passino charts its history and discovers that it still thrives

The rebellious charm and cruelty of a high-society mischief maker

As British contemporary art beats all odds to remain a cauldron of inventiveness and passion, Carla Passino discovers which artists aged 40 or under are on the radar of forward-looking museum directors and curators

The Tower at Vita’s home, Sissinghurst Castle ...

Letter of the week Knot in time ...