Christopher Allen

ART history and criticism as we know them began with the tradition of artists’ biographies founded by Giorgio Vasari in the 16th century.

THE drawings of one of our most important painters, Russell Drysdale, are the subject of a substantial exhibition in Sydney.

EVEN the few good portraits in the competition mistake size for quality.

AN antiquities exhibition at the University of Melbourne’s Ian Potter Museum reflects the importance of an influential Australasian art historian.

CLAUDE Lorrain’s luminosity and love of nature is celebrated in an exhibition of his drawings, etches and paintings in Frankfurt.

THE National Library of Australia’s exhibition of manuscripts is full of exquisite treasures – just ignore the inane comments of other visitors.

A PHOTOGRAPHIC exhibition drawn from the holdings of the National Gallery of Victoria, Looking at looking evokes the way we look at the world.

THE portraits painted by Tom Roberts and other members of the Heidelberg School are not so much underrated as rather overlooked.

THE Sea of Dreams exhibition should cause viewers to reassess Melbourne as a city built on the sea.

IT is part of the duty of regional galleries to present the work of minor artists, but the Michael Shannon exhibition is less than satisfactory.