My cunning plan to slow cook the turkey overnight means we’re now ready to have Christmas breakfast.😬

‘So halllow’d, and so gracious is the time.’ Have a fine evening everyone, and a happy Christmas morning when it comes.

Our Christmas special is now up. Waldemar explains how art invented Santa Claus. And I look into Peter Bruegel the Elder's mysterious and brilliant Adoration of the Magi. Waldy & Bendy's Adventures in Art, on all the usual platforms.

Waldemar and I enjoyed dressing up for our Christmas podcast. As you can see, no effort was spared.

We’re doing a question time special for our Christmas podcast offering. Send in yours below!

This week’s Adventures in Art podcast is up. Waldemar and I explore our favourite gothic cathedrals, ask why museum staff are on strike, and celebrate the Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil. On all the usual platforms.

Sorry for the late upload, this week’s podcast is now live. We discuss Constable vs Turner, Caravaggio (and for some reason, rats in art 🐀).

I'm afraid the latest episode of the podcast will be out tomorrow, not today as usual. We're squeezing in an extra special discussion of Turner and Constable at the Tate.

The getting rid of juries has, in my opinion, a darker rationale. It means protestors, who are more likely to get let off when juries are involved, will now all be found guilty. Part of a sinister cross party agenda of slowly criminalising protest.

At Sothebys, I chanced upon possibly the worst painted dog in British art history.

Had a fine time in the Turner & Constable exhibition at Tate. A superb display of brilliant pictures by two of our greatest artists. Poor Constable; still so misunderstood in the labels and catalogue, but, in his own modest and subtle way, he more than holds his own.

The subjectiveness of art history: at the Tate show, Constable is condemned for presenting a misleadingly pleasant view of rural life. In the same room, one of his paintings shows two labourers literally shovelling shit.

I’ve written for the FT on art and AI. Can we use it to find lost Rembrandts? www.ft.com/content/8f07...

New episode of the podcast just out. Waldemar solves the mystery of Bosch’s masterpiece, I wonder why a gold toilet is worth $12m, and we explore what made Hans Holbein so brilliant with Elizabeth Goldring.

Right.

It's 2029, and a Reform government has sworn in its first batch of politically appointed judges. Suddenly, the Labour Party remembers why jury trials mattered.

Can't believe they're going to end trial by jury. It's one of our most fundamental rights. Literally Magna Carta stuff.

When is a drawing of a foot worth $2m? When it’s a newly discovered Michelanglo. ‘Study for the right foot of The Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling’, c.1511-12, will be sold at Christie’s NY in January.

I'm waiting to hear Starmer say the UK won't recognise any part of Ukraine as Russian.

Increasingly think private equity has been curse for the UK. Asset stripping the high street - and all encouraged by the government through favourable tax treatment.

New episode of the podcast just out. We discuss: Britain's greatest forger; why London gets all the art; and what's going on in all those mad Mary Magdalene paintings. open.spotify.com/episode/2iP0...

Comment | To truly read a painting, forget the present Art historian Bendor Grosvenor argues that understanding a work’s meaning depends on seeing it in the context of its time—not through the lens of today. buff.ly/qYaigQ0

Chilling piece on employment effects of AI on early careers. Includes this line, which will probably become the norm for many firms: "Managers at Shopify must now justify hiring a human by first explaining why AI can’t do the job." nymag.com/intelligence...

Amazing

Just listened.. a particularly interesting edition of the always entertaining & informative podcast plus an interview with Andrew Graham Dixon on his new Vermeer book & his ideas on the interpretation of his paintings. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This week on the podcast, we interview Andrew Graham-Dixon about Vermeer, lay into the BBC's arts coverage, and ask why royal portraits are so bad. www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_wU...

I find it very weird that the government line is that journalists were tricked - which would be too daft a defence even for an episode of The Thick of It - and equally weird that the journalists haven't denied it.

Honestly, I think I could do a better job running Downing St communications and the BBC as a job share. Am available.

The other story is who is doing the briefing - but the political correspondent class* are so busy being that person’s messenger that they can’t tell us. *(not Stephen obvs)

One strange thing about the BBC/Trump row is that the programme in question was actually made by an independent production company. Yes, the BBC producers and Panorama’s editor should have checked everything before it was broadcast. But… 1/3

I’m surprised Davie has resigned over that Panorama edit (seems like a bit of a nothingburger to me) but I’m glad he’s gone. On his watch the BBC simply gave up the ghost on factual documentary TV, and decided the best way to serve its audience was to patronise it. 1/2

Art is definitely beneficial to the human condition. It's instant medicine. I love this podcast and the chaps who do it. Waldy and Bendy Adventures in Art @januszczak.bsky.social @bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social youtube.com/watch?v=urbW...

New episode of the podcast out today. We ask if art is good for your health; interview Katy Hessel about her new book; and try and work out if the bird lives or dies in Wright of Derby's epic 'Airpump'.

Came to see the site of a proposed solar farm in the Scottish Borders. What I’m showing you is only about half the site.

A real life art adventure for Waldy and Bendy today, ably guided by Producer Thea, at the National Gallery’s new Joseph Wright of Derby exhibition. Podcast out on Thursday.

Made a late afternoon visit to Waddesdon. Many fine pictures of course, but also some superb historic toilet action. Including an all-Delft bathroom, and this commode chair (which I think you sat on backwards, so to speak).

If you love great art, this podcast is an absolute must-listen. Incredibly insightful commentary with a delightfully fun spin by two of the best in the business. I just got stuck in with Season 1 and I am obsessed!

Quick recce in Cirencester’s glorious church of St John the Baptist, before my talk later. One of England’s finest ‘wool’ churches.

This week’s podcast is a Halloween special; we discuss plague, terror and fire in art. Also, is the King Catholic? open.spotify.com/episode/796F...

Great interview in this week's episode with @bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social and @cjfaraday.bsky.social discussing her new book 'The Story of Tudor Art'. I'd add it to my Christmas list but wary that the last time Bendor recommended a book for Christmas, it turned into quite the adventure...

Excellent analysis of the China spy case, and the muddle we've got ourselves into on the definition of 'enemy'.

A truly disgusting Tory proposal, point 3.

I was intrigued to see which two of the Vatican’s ten Raphael tapestries were chosen for today’s unprecedented service in the Sistine Chapel. The tapestries are very rarely shown - was Pope Leo XIV conveying any message in the choice? 🧵

Latest episode just out: this week we discuss the Louvre robbery, ask if Tudor art is any good, and disagree about the merits of Manet.

"The idea of deporting people with settled status is disgusting, and anyone proposing it should be immediately drummed out of polite society. Breaking promises made in good faith to our friends and neighbours is racist, extremist and immoral." I'm basically shouting at the sky here, but still.

This week's episode just released. We discuss the Canterbury graffiti, and the art of the unfinished. Available on all the usual platforms. 'An unalloyed pleasure', says The Spectator!

New episode of the podcast just out. This week we discuss; who is art's most forgotten artist? And, whether to buy a second-hand bench from the National Gallery for £800.

Icymi, gather there's a handful of tickets left for this. See you there!

As much as I want to resist the scourge of AI in universities, I think this issue also highlights how we place too much emphasis on historiography. As in, 'while Prof. X says this, Prof. Y says that'. It's no wonder students seek to summarize it. Empiricism will be more AI-proof.