Christopher Allen

THE tyranny of distance has not always been felt equally by artists working in this country.

RENAISSANCE portraiture is the subject of what is clearly one of the great international exhibitions of the past couple of years.

IT’S too easy to be inattentive of the masters.

IT was good to rediscover the Art Gallery of South Australia, free of the Saatchi commercial octopus.

THIS beautiful and amply rewarding exhibition is devoted largely to the intense and jewel-like painting of the early Renaissance.

MATISSE’S strangely calligraphic images of nudes are implanted deep in my memory.

CONTRARY to what many people believe, one can learn to draw.

THE National Gallery of Victoria’s exhibition of watercolours examines the point when British painting re-entered art history.

A NEW book that reproduces all the works of the historic Paris museum reminds us why great art stands out.

SUMMER is better suited to the beach and reading quietly in the shade, but if you feel energetic there are worthwhile exhibitions across Australia.