Michael Prodger
Signs, Not Wonders
A retrospective of Damien Hirst’s work shows his skill as an aesthetic showman—but not as an artist
The Precision Portraitist
Johan Zoffany’s art enjoyed only a brief vogue, but the RA’s show displays all his technical brilliance
Naturalised Talents
British art has a rich European heritage. Tate Britain’s new show explores its Continental seam
Grayson, Nell and Uncle Joe
London shows salute unsung artisans, Spanish draughtsmen, saucy actresses and Soviet radicals
David Hockney: A Life Spent Looking
A major retrospective of David Hockney’s work at the Royal Academy showcases the Yorkshire-born artist’s love of his Northern homeland
Things Visible and Invisible
The National Gallery’s new Leonardo show illuminates his quest for painterly perfection
Blurred Visionary
Gerhard Richter’s distinctive and diverse work is ultimately defined by its old-fashioned beauty
Apocalypse Then
John Martin was celebrated in life yet disregarded in death. A new show aims to resurrect him
The Sublime and the Beautiful
Two summer exhibitions at the National Gallery throw light on heaven and earth
A Different Habit of Vision
The short-lived Vorticist movement was ridiculed in its day. Now it seems brave and prescient
Why Remoaners should back Boris
“Boris, ironically, now offers Remoaners the best chance of a soft Brexit, or at least a sensible one. And to those who want a second referendum—’the people’s vote’—there may even be a chance of that too.”
On the road
“In the summer of 1980, in the grip of some Kerouac-ish fantasy, I opted to hitch-hike from Laredo to New York”
Discovering the Great War of China
A third of a million Chinese labourers helped the Allies defeat the Kaiser, but their huge unsung contribution ended in betrayal