Does an artist really have to die before their work gains fame? Leonardo Da Vinci was famous in his lifetime—a rare feat achieved by few other artists. He was skilled not only in painting and drawing, but also as a scientist, mathematician and inventor. He had a good start on his path to fame when, at 14, he was apprenticed to one of the best painters of the time, Andrea del Verrocchio. As a fully-fledged...
Arts &Collections investigates one of the most outstanding and influential movements of the modern era—Cubism. Changing perspectives of what art could accomplish and resemble, the movement transformed the face of the art world forever. 1907-08 was a monumental turning point in the history of art; artists were turning their backs on the realistic portrayals that had been so vigorously preached throughout the Renaissance period. Cubism’s birth in the 20th century was said to have been...
The mosaic as a form of art has been around for millenniums. We take a look at how different cultures and ancient civilisations influenced mosaics throughout history. It was during the Neolithic Period—around 4,000 BC—that terracotta ‘cones’ were first applied onto objects as a means of decoration. This technique, now more commonly known as the mosaic, has undergone a great deal of change since that time millions of years ago. During the Bronze Age (800...
A History of the World in 100 objects, this was the title, inspired by Neil MacGregor, until recently Director of the British Museum, for the groundbreaking BBC Radio 4 series that explores world history from two million years ago to the present. The objects featured in the series can be seen and their stories discovered in the British Museum’s galleries. Pictured here is just one of the 100 objects: The Lewis Chessmen, an early chess...
With the hotly anticipated launch of the Ferrari 488 GTB fast approaching, the story of one man’s passion for motor racing provides a fascinating insight into the history behind Italy’s most iconic automobile brand. Think of Ferrari and you think of speed. The name itself conjures an image of the flash of Ferrari scarlet hurtling around a track, and of that prancing horse (or ‘rampante’) that has become a symbol of record-breaking racing success and...
800 years ago saw the founding of our modern constitution and democracy with the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215. Recent conservation work on two surviving copies has ensured the documents are among the highlights of the 2015 anniversary celebrations. History has cast him as the most inept king in a long line of kings. Disney has cast him as a greedy, overtaxing and evil monarch whose tyranny is challenged by the heroic Robin Hood...
In March 2014 the British Museum opened the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery with a major exhibition on the Vikings, supported by BP. The exhibition has been developed with the National Museum of Denmark and the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (National Museums in Berlin) and focuses on the core period of the Viking Age from the late eighth century to the early 11th century. The extraordinary Viking expansion from the Scandinavian homelands during this era created a cultural...
It was a land where gold was so abundant it had no value in modern terms, but its cultural significance went to the heart of an ancient Colombian civilisation. What remains today makes up the world’s most extraordinary collection of exquisite gold artefacts. It was the legend of El Dorado – “the golden one” and his a city of gold – that beyond the forests of the Amazon, attracted the conquistadors with their lust for gold....
Catherine André is the story of a woman and her success; the story of knits and colours… In just 15 years, Catherine André has placed her brand amongst the most elite, bearing her name amongst the upmarket French fashion designers whilst gaining recognition across four continents. After setting up the business on her own in 1995, designer Catherine André now runs, together with her husband Jean-Luc Roualdes, a company that employs 27 people in Millau,...
Marie Antoinette’s shoes or Artioli, shoes have always been important for fashion as well as for private use. And no matter whether you are a ‘boots are made for walking’ (Johnny Cash) kind or you approach the subject like French footwear designer, Christian Louboutin: “a shoe has so much more to offer than just to walk,” you have to admit that today, the fashion world is going through a Renaissance of footwear. The recent trend...
