Reviews Archive

Kaiser Karl I, the final ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, visits the Southern Front in Levico during the First World War. Credit: History and Art Collection

Review

The First World War and the Habsburg state’s metamorphosis

Austria-Hungary's First World War was not the death rattle of a doomed empire. It was a period of state transformation which shaped the nations that replaced it.

Luka Ivan Jukic May 26, 2026

Sleep, 14th century. From Tacuinum Sanitatis Folio 100r, a medieval handbook on health.

Review

The medieval guide to living well

Beyond the clichés of barbarity, the medieval world reveals a surprisingly sophisticated approach to health, where the pursuit of wellbeing was paramount.

Nicholas Morton May 20, 2026

In Rostov-on-Don, a monument of Tsar Alexander II is demolished and replaced by a monument to Lenin.

Review

Russia 1917-18: what Rhoda Power saw

Rhoda Power’s remarkable eyewitness account of the Russian Revolution’s descent into chaos deserves a new generation of readers.

Jeremy Jennings May 12, 2026

Review

The art of birds

Curated by historian Simon Schama, the Mauritshuis's 'BIRDS' brings together five centuries of art exploring mankind's relationship with the avian world.

Cath Pound May 7, 2026

Bernardo Bellotto's 'View of Vienna from the Belvedere'.

Review

Canaletto and Bellotto: painters of the ideal

Under the guise of selling images of a simple if picturesque reality, both Venetian artists were painters of the ideal.

Michael Prodger May 6, 2026

The procession to the Encaenia at Oxford for the presentation of Honorary Degrees. May, 1950. Credit: Keystone Press

Review

The golden age of the don

For Oxbridge dons of old, learning was worn lightly, style mattered almost as much as substance, and a certain effortless amateurism was prized.

David Vaiani May 6, 2026

Two folios from the Trivulzio Book of Hours.

Review

The enchanting world of medieval manuscripts

The renowned medievalist Christopher de Hamel reflects on the alluring power of manuscripts, and how they allow us to illuminate both the past and the present in surprising ways.

Derek Turner May 5, 2026

A group of elderly women in Kyoto, Japan. Credit: Trevor Mogg

Review

Japan: the world’s demographic canary

As he travels the country uncovering decay at almost every turn, Tom Feiling proves a superb guide – not only to Japan, but to the uncertain future of every ageing society.

Caroline Eden May 1, 2026

Agnus Dei by Francisco de Zurbarán in the Museo del Prado. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Review

Zurbarán: the mysteries of a singular talent

The National Gallery's absorbing exhibition confirms the greatness of Francisco de Zurbarán, a Spanish master of extraordinary range whose reputation continues to grow.

Paul Lay April 30, 2026