Arts

Known as the "apostle to the apostles”, the controversial and multifaceted saint Mary Magdalene is shrouded in mythology and mystery. What do these artworks reveal about her?

Although Barbara Cartland sold around 750 million books, you'd struggle to find a copy in a bookshop today. Why has the UK's master of romantic fiction disappeared from memory?

Allan Ginsberg's graphic verse had a seismic effect on American society. When two people were put on trial for selling it, the judgement was a landmark moment in loosening censorship.

By sticking a banana to a wall with duct tape and calling it art, Maurizio Cattelan created one of the greatest cultural debates of recent times.

Controversy is swirling around Rachel Cusk's new novel and its movie-star protagonist named "M". Why the fuss – and could the character be based on Natalie Portman?

From a dizzyingly brilliant heist to a devastating tale of generational loss, here are the year's most acclaimed works of fiction so far.

In the 11th-Century masterpiece's tale of a contested throne, virility is equated to power – and the largest and proudest appendage. It tells a story that feels familiar today.