Art history

There is an art to rivalry. Mastering its rules has, since ancient times, shaped cultural history over millennia.

More than five centuries ago, a small number of style icons used flamboyant, luxurious looks to give them influence and power during a turbulent period of Italian history.

As Wicked: For Good is released, what are the historic meanings of conical headwear, and how has it evolved – from its ancient origins to the empowered Elphaba?

Hidden for decades from public view, the artist's Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer has now sold at auction for a record sum. Why is it so valuable?

While many argue that "modern art" began in the 1800s, could it actually have started with Joseph Wright of Derby's An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, nearly a century before?

Jacques-Louis David's The Death of Marat is a deceptively simple image of a real-life murder. But a closer look at the iconic painting reveals the political messages contained within.

Acclaimed new film The Mastermind, starring Josh O'Connor, tells the story of an art heist gone wrong. It's inspired by a wave of similar thefts at a time when society was in upheaval.

The unflinching gaze of the fearless US artist and war photographer bore witness to both beauty and brutality. Now she is the subject of a major exhibition at Tate Britain.