Art & Design

The massive “Portrait of Mai” depicts the first Pacific Islander to visit Britain, a young man who became a quasi-celebrity in the 1770s after joining the expedition of explorer James Cook.

The landmark institution’s first exhibition pays homage to a historic Renault automobile plant that once operated on the Île Seguin in the Seine River. “The project called for a great deal of perseverance,” one official says.

The 18th-century painter was a key practitioner of “capriccio” artworks, which blended scenes of everyday life with bold, out-of-place structures. This work was not known to exist for centuries and could now fetch up to $80,000.

Conservation experts preserve and stabilize a fragile aerial antique.

The festival takes place at iconic New York City poetry venues October 18 through November 1.

The Dutch Post-Impressionist painted “Chestnut Trees in Blossom” during the highly productive yet tragic final months of his life. It is heading to auction as part of a “legendary” private collection which also includes works from Cézanne and Renoir.