Art

Arachne and Minerva

The myth of Arachne and Minerva is a commentary on the plight of the artist, wrapped in a dramatic tale of rivalry between god and mortal.

Sink or Swim

Snobs, bores and triumphs at the Royal Society of Arts.

The Flood

Human suffering is at the heart of Michelangelo’s masterpiece.

The Field of Cloth of Gold: A Duel in Jewels

When Henry VIII and Francis I met 12 years after the Field of Cloth of Gold – with Henry accompanied by Anne Boleyn – both sought to outdo one another with exquisite items of display.

Beyond Good and Evil

As a frontline soldier in the First World War, the German artist Otto Dix fell under the spell of the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche and his assault on Christian morality.

Grand Old Scandal

A 19th-century tale of sex, royalty and corruption which inspired scores of satirists and even the makers of curiosity mugs.