Everyday people were the focus of many Dutch 17th-century masters. Hurrah for Buckingham Palace for making a damn fine show of them
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The five rules of buying art
Waldemar Januszczak’s five golden rules for buying art
Light on substance
Alexander Calder’s work is cute, but not clever enough for grown-ups
It’s just child’s play for them
The V&A’s revamped Japanese gallery reveals a genius for exquisite precision
Skewering the Celts
The British Museum brilliantly explodes the myths of an ancient ‘race’
In a very dark place
We need more Mat Collishaw: his intense twilight beauty equals great art
Frank Auerbach, Tate Britain
He has become our greatest living artist. See him sweat the big stuff now at Tate Britain
The glory of Goya
An exceptional investigation by the National Gallery reveals how his portraits went from wonky to sublime
Colour me sideways
In the first show at Damien Hirst’s stonking gallery, John Hoyland’s vibrant paintings are a simple joy
Pop that packs a punch
Tate Modern’s show of the world’s pop art is challenging, political and bright