The chair of the National Gallery names his favourite from among the 2,300 masterpieces — and it will come as a bit of a shock
As the National Gallery turns 200, the chair of its board of trustees, John Booth, chooses his favourite painting.
The Finer Things
When it comes to treating yourself to a new party dress or a pair of cufflinks, or if you want to buy a brilliant present for a loved one, look no further than our High Life section. From the most inspiring travel trips to the latest news in luxury watches, and beautiful jewellery, let Country Life guide you to the very best in beautiful things.
Plus, read articles from our brilliant Gentleman’s Life magazine, including the 39 steps to being a gentleman.
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Caravaggio: The brutal life and early death of the sinner who painted saints
Although named after an angel, Caravaggio needed no stronger reason to brawl than having his artichokes dressed with butter instead of olive oil. Maev Kennedy delves into his short and brutal life.
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'A wonderful reminder of what the countryside could and should be': The 200-year-old watercolour of a world fast disappearing
Christopher Price of the Rare Breed Survival Trust on the bucolic beauty of The Magic Apple Tree by Samuel Palmer, which he nominates as his favourite painting.
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The ancient decorative painting technique enjoying a revival 2,000 years after being the talk of Pompeii
The infinite possibilities of decorative painting brought life to villas in Pompeii, Florentine palaces and Charleston in East Sussex. Today, a revival of interest in the artform is once again precipitating a highly distinctive new look in interiors. By Arabella Youens, with photography by Simon Brown.
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The British Museum is at a nadir in its fortunes — it's a brave person stepping up to take charge
Our cultural columnist Athena on the challenges — the many challenges — for Nicholas Cullinan, the new director of the British Museum.
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150 years of the Impressionists, being celebrated in Paris and London
In 1874, a group of painters rejected by the official Paris Salon staged its own show and changed the course of art. It was France’s convulsed lurch into the modern era that helped spark the Impressionist revolution.
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Curious Questions: Who was the first person to take a driving test?
For years, all you need to drive a car was to jump behind the wheel — but that all changed. Martin Fone traces the history of the driving test.
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A look inside Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage
A new book by the photographer Gilbert McCarragher will give readers a first-look inside Derek Jarman's famous home on the shingle of Dungeness.
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What is Whitby jet? The once-prized northern native gemstone that is darker than the night
This 'beautiful, natural, heritage material deserves to be reassessed' and is slowly regaining popularity. Harry Pearson talks to the makers still working with this ancient gemstone.
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Paper houses: The Somerset artists turning books into model country homes
Each of us has treasured memories of our home, past or present. Catriona Gray meets artist Ele Grafton, who captures these individual stories using vintage books and documents.
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The art dealer who bet £500,000 on a hunch, and ended up with a long-lost Old Master worth millions
A seemingly insignificant painting sold in 2022 turned out to be a lost masterpiece — and it's now on display in Britain. Carla Passino tells the tale.
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John Le Carré's jukebox, furniture and effects head to auction
The contents sale of Tregiffian in Cornwall will give buyers the chance to own the writing desk, and other items, of the late great master of spy fiction.
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Six of the best sculpture parks to visit around Britain
A landscape full of sculpture is always a great experience; Carla Passino picks out some of the most extraordinary sculpture parks in Britain.
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My favourite painting: Andrew Graham-Dixon
'Lesson Number One: it’s the pictures that baffle and tantalise you that stay in the mind forever .'
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The art and life of Pattie Boyd, the woman in the centre of the love triangle between Eric Clapton and a Beatle, has come up for auction
Pattie Boyd was the girlfriend of two of the great figures in rock music in the 1960s and 1970s — and Christie's are holding a sale of her memorabilia.
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What (not) to wear at the Cheltenham Festival
Tips from an expert stylist on what to wear at one of the highlights of the racing calendar: the Cheltenham Festival.
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My favourite painting: Sir Alistair Spalding
The artistic director of Sadler's Wells chooses a painting created 'purely to aid reflection and contemplation'.
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Trafalgar Square celebrates 25 years of Fourth Plinth art — but is it time for a permanent piece?
Seven shortlisted ideas for the next stint on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square are currently on display — but some say it is now time for a more permanent fixture.
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Curious Questions: When — and why — did we stop wearing hats?
The hat was once as essential for leaving the house as a pair of trousers, but the sight of a dapper gent sporting one is now all too rare, laments John F. Mueller, while Toby Keel takes a look at the reasons we stopped wearing them.
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The art heist with a happy ending, 15 years later
In a heist with a happy ending, a stolen Lavery oil made its way back to Stonyhurst College, Lancashire, where it now inspires headmaster John Browne, as Carla Passino discovers.
