Art and design

Beryl Cook's paintings were loved by the British public but derided by the art establishment. One hundred years after her birth, a new exhibition argues for a reassessment of her work.

From medieval beginnings, the samurai have inspired art, fiction and films, from Shōgun to Star Wars. But their true story is more complex and surprising than we might realise.

From a secluded valley in Uzbekistan to a sacred Canadian island you can see but not touch, these images captivated BBC.com's photo editors this year.

Dozens of mysterious structures across the Northern Hemisphere – some nearly 5,000 years old – align precisely to frame the rising and setting Sun on midwinter's shortest day.

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

As one of architecture's most provocative and creative forces, Frank Gehry was behind intriguing buildings the world over.

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?