Art and design

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.

Man Ray's 1924 image Le Violon d'Ingres, of a woman's body transformed into a violin, has continued to fascinate, confuse and upset viewers, more than 100 years on.

Where better to hunker down in the autumn than the ultimate snug home? The thatched cottage is romantic, sustainable, has a long, proud tradition – and is now enjoying a revival.

In 2019, Venice was hit by its second-worst flood in history. Today, books saved from the water tell a story of loss and resistance.

A listening device hidden in an artwork in 1945 was undetected by US security for seven years – and it's not the only example of art having been manipulated for subterfuge.

Georges Seurat's once-mocked painting Bathers at Asnières is both an "exquisite distillation of the very essence of summer" and "a modern wonder in the art of seeing".

After a forgotten WW2 propaganda poster was discovered in 2000, it found an astounding new resonance in 21st-Century Britain.

Controversy over an Amy Sherald painting of the Statue of Liberty reveals divides over US national symbols, joining debates that have centred on the statue since it was first unveiled.