Art

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.

Grand Old Scandal

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

How Venice Lost Its Art

The arrival of Napoleon’s troops in Venice in 1797 instigated one of the biggest plunders in the history of art. 

The Female Gaze Made Flesh

There were many obstacles preventing women from becoming artists in the 18th century, but those who overcame them created some of the most influential art of their time. 

Capturing the Cat

The arrival of big cats to 19th-century London forced a change in the image left by mythology and the Old Masters.