Art & Design

A traditional red-brick Palladian-style country house with clipped evergreen topiary shrubs (Credit: Peter Dixon)

The faux-historic mansions dividing opinion

From faux Regency to mock Georgian, brand-new but period-style English country houses are increasingly popular in the UK, US and elsewhere. What is their appeal?

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Police officers standing outside the Louvre Museum in Paris behind a police tape barrier (Credit: Getty Images)

'Every museum in the world is stressing': What the rise in art heists means for visitors

A spate of audacious thefts has rocked European museums. Now, some institutions are rethinking what's worth displaying.

Multispecies wooden tower in Somerset countryside in England (Credit: Pearce+/ Samuel Bray)

Eight ingenious homes for wildlife around the world

From a bat home in the UK countryside to a multi-species refuge in the Catskills, here are eight cleverly designed wildlife havens.

A close-up of whale teeth with engravings on them (Credit: Alamy)

Scrimshaw: The controversial art form on the brink of extinction

As Moby Dick turns 175, some of the last American scrimshanders grapple with the legacy of maintaining one of the US's oldest art forms.

The painting La sfida (The Challenge) which shows Magdalene wearing a red dress with long auburn hair (Credit: Nieves Gonzu00e1lez/ on loan from a private collection)

Penitent sinner or fiery saint? 10 paintings of Mary Magdalene

Known as the "apostle to the apostles”, the controversial and multifaceted saint Mary Magdalene is shrouded in mythology and mystery. What do these artworks reveal about her?

A green building nestled among trees (Credit: Andru00e9s Cedillo)

Stunning buildings 'blended' with nature

Here are some of the world's best new buildings that are immersed in their wild surroundings.

Close-up of banana with duct tape sticking it to a wall (Credit: Getty Images)

Why this banana was sold for $6m at an auction

By sticking a banana to a wall with duct tape and calling it art, Maurizio Cattelan created one of the greatest cultural debates of recent times.

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'I was told I had months to live. Now I've been born again'

'I was told I had months to live. Now I've been born again'

Tracey Emin, one of Britain's most uncompromising artists, reflects on survival and a renewed urgency to create.

Iznik: The Ottoman art that captivated Europe

The Turkish masterpieces hidden in plain sight

Find out how the ornate ceramics known as Iznik tiles hold the key to a forgotten golden age of Turkish art.

Inside Michelangelo's 'secret hiding room'

Inside Michelangelo's 'secret hiding room'

The BBC gets access to Michelangelo's 'secret hiding room' under the Medici Chapel in Florence.

Striking images capturing the 'dark underbelly of America'

Why legendary crime photographer Weegee offers a crucial lens to understanding the American psyche.

Shahmaran: The mythic symbol inspiring Turkish artists

How a mythical symbol inspires Turkish artists

The 'Shahmaran', half-woman and half-snake, is a mythical figure popular in the folklore of Turkey.

Blue Quran: A rare 1,000-year-old masterpiece

Blue Quran: A rare 1,000-year-old masterpiece

Art critic Alastair Sooke learns about a masterpiece of the Islamic world at Doha's Museum of Islamic Art.

Latest in Art and Design

Two people - seen in silhouette - are viewing the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum

British Museum announces changes to ease Bayeux Tapestry queues

Measures include extended opening hours, as well as an audio guide and additional seating for visitors.

A black and white photo of a young woman spinning a record on DJ decks. She is wearing traditional South Asian clothing as well as a bindi and bangles. Groups of young people stand or dance in the background.

The hidden daytime dance revolution - and the man who captured it on camera

Tim Smith's shots of the early 'daytimers' bhangra scene in Bradford feature in a Tate exhibition.

A man with a grey beard and glasses in a blue T-Shirt looks down at a watercolour of a river scene in the Borders. Behind him are shelves full of files.

Painting which went unnoticed for 150 years found on back of map

The watercolour on the back of a map gives a rare snapshot of the Dryburgh suspension bridge shortly after it opened.

A woman paints green squares on to a white canvas. She has shoulder length brown hair, green glasses and she is wearing a grey T-shirt. Other pieces of artwork rest on the table beside her and there are others behind her.

'I woke up one day in my 60s and decided to become an artist'

Ed Sheeran's paintings inspire Suffolk charity fundraiser Gina Long to create her own exhibition.

Bethany smiles and looks directly at the camera. She is wearing black-rimmed glasses and is sitting in a field. She is holding a green frog cuddly toy.

Teenage artist finds confidence in illustrating

Bethany's work is published after her talent was spotted by an author visiting her school.

A picture of the mural - it has a purple background, the woman depicted- Josephine, has a long white dress, with Manx words written in gold.

Ramsey mural aims to 'elevate' famous Manx poet

Situated in Parliament Street, the mural celebrates Josephine Kermode, known by her name the Cushag.

A group of school pupils wearing dark blue jumpers are seated on the floor in an art gallery with reflective metal walls. Behind them is an artwork resembling a pair of legs made from sheep's wool.

Turner Prize workshops hope to inspire youngsters

Thousands of school children from across the Tees Valley visit Mima art gallery to be inspired.

The camera looks down at a brown wooden table. A woman, wearing glasses and a light blue, patterned top, can be seen sitting at the table on the right of the picture. She is holding a black pencil in her right hand over a large piece of paper. In front of her is a small rectangular basket made of wicker. Inside the basket are some leaves, some cloth padding and a tortoise, who peers over the edge of the basket towards some coloured chalks in a box on the table.

Animals bring budding artists out of their shells

Tortoises help a Sheffield group get to grips with drawing and painting live subjects.

Kyla is has dark hair with blonde highlights and is wearing a black vest over a white t-shirt.

Major art show starts UK tour in Coventry

The British Art Show 10 opens in Coventry, before heading around the UK on tour.

A woman with black hair in a bob and red lipstick. She is looking at the camera and standing in front of a painting which is in blues and greens, marked in differing directions.

Ringo Starr's granddaughter launches exhibition

Tatia Starkey tells the BBC she is trying to communicate the feelings inside her.

An interactive gallery featuring David Bowie. It depicts the musician lying down and reading a book. There are bookcases surrounding him.

David Bowie's venue ban lifted for new exhibition

An immersive exhibition exploring the life and work of David Bowie is set to open at Brighton Dome.

Rajeeb and Nadia Samdani are the co-founders of the Samdani Art Foundation. They are pictured here looking at an Ashmolean exhibit.

Bangladeshi art spotlighted in 'world-first' project

The Ashmolean Museum, in Oxford, say a new partnership will highlight artwork from Bangladesh.

A grey statue of a man wearing a suit, walking forward, carrying a flag that covers his face

'All options' considered for Banksy's flag statue

Westminster City Council says it is the statue's custodian and is responsible for its safety.

A collapsed cardboard structure on its side in a park laying on top of grass and a path. To the right, a standing piece of the artwork still stands. There is a crane behind and to the left you can see the Bristol Channel in the background along with a small section of Birnbeck Pier. In the park there are iron framed wooden benches which are faded green in colour.

Cardboard tower sculpture toppled after wind hits

The six-storey-high art installation was subject to "monumental jumping and squashing" after it fell.

A picture of tree with not many leaves on in front of a cloudy grey sky in the background.

Favourite trees sought for Guernsey art project

People have been invited to share pictures of their favourite trees as part of a new art project.