At Yale: the commercial empire within the British empire

The Yale Center for British Art presents 'Painters, Ports, and Profits,' an exhibition of 115 items spanning a century of art and history, focusing on the East India Company's commercial empire. The show includes paintings, prints, drawings, books, and artifacts such as a 37-foot watercolor scroll of Lucknow (1826) and works by Indian artist Gangaram Chintaman Navgire Tambat, who emerges as the artistic star with 20 pieces. It also features prints of the company's opium factory and 'The Opium Fleet Descending The Ganges' by Walter Stanhope Sherwill, highlighting the company's role in the Opium Wars with China.

Lee Miller: Fearless

The Art Institute of Chicago announces 'Lee Miller: Fearless,' the first comprehensive survey of photographer Lee Miller's work in over 25 years, running from August 29 to December 7, 2026. The exhibition spans Miller's multifaceted career as a fashion model, Surrealist innovator, portraitist, and World War II battlefield correspondent for Vogue, featuring iconic images such as 'Self-Portrait with Headband' (about 1932) and 'Dressed for War' (1942). It is organized in collaboration with Tate Britain and Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, curated by Matthew S. Witkovsky, Hilary Floe, Saskia Flower, and Michal Goldschmidt.

At the Baths of Diocletian in Rome, a show by a Chinese artist is a hit. The curator explains why

Alle Terme di Diocleziano di Roma spopola la mostra di un’artista cinese. Il curatore spiega perché

Chinese artist Wu Jian'an (born 1980, Beijing) is the subject of a major solo exhibition at the Baths of Diocletian in Rome, part of the Museo Nazionale Romano. Titled "Metamorphoses. L'arte che trasforma," the show explores connections between Chinese and Italian cultures, as well as broader Eastern and European traditions. Curated by Umberto Croppi, president of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, the exhibition features works such as the monumental leather installation "The Heaven of Nine Levels" (2008–2009) and the series "The Eternal Cycle – Running Through the Seasons" (2024–2025), which combines intricate paper cutouts, silk, wax, and cotton thread. The artist, who represented China at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017, was inspired by the ancient Roman spaces, creating a dialogue between his contemporary pieces and the site's classical mosaics and architecture.

US exhibition unearths the Etruscans and their enduring cultural influence

The Legion of Honor in San Francisco will present "The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy" from 2 May to 20 September, featuring nearly 200 objects including jewellery, sculptures, and vessels from the ancient Etruscan civilisation. The exhibition highlights recent archaeological discoveries, such as the Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis—the longest surviving Etruscan text—and grave objects from the Regolini-Galassi Tomb, many making their US debut. Curator Renée Dreyfus aims to correct negative portrayals of the Etruscans by Greeks and Romans and showcase their cultural achievements.

Islamic Art Exhibition Showcases Persian Manuscript Masterpiece

The National Museum of Korea is hosting “Islamic Art, A Journey of Radiant Light” until October 11th, featuring artifacts from the Islamic Art Museum in Doha, Qatar. The exhibition showcases calligraphy, paintings, and crafts from the 7th to 19th centuries, with highlights including two illustrations from the *Tahmasp Shahnameh*, a Persian miniature manuscript from the Safavid era that took over a decade to complete.

Sadequain’s Legacy Comes Alive in Canada with Three Day Art Exhibition

Pakistan’s High Commission in Canada launched a three-day art exhibition in Mississauga celebrating the legacy of renowned artist Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi. Inaugurated by High Commissioner Muhammad Saleem, the exhibition features Sadequain’s paintings, murals, drawings, and Urdu poetry, organized by the Sadequain Foundation with local partners. Attendees include students from the Aga Khan Foundation Academy Toronto, and scholar Ashfaq Hussain will deliver a talk on the artist’s multifaceted legacy.