London

“I have gazed upon the face of Agamemnon”. Arguably the most famous words in archaeological history, they were supposedly uttered by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1876 as he unearthed a gold mask at Mycenae. Some 140 years later, portraits from antiquity remain powerful reminders of our ancient past.

Karen Taylor Fine Art’s exhibition of British drawings, watercolours and oils takes place from 30 June-July 7 at Illustrationcupboard Gallery in St James’s.

More 19th century pictures will go under the hammer this summer at auction houses in London. Christie’s dedicated sale in King Street on July 13 is led by a collection of 46 Orientalist works.

An exhibition of the photographs of Marilyn Stafford travelled from Lucy Bell Fine Art in East Sussex last weekend to reopen in London’s Art Bermondsey Project Space on Tuesday, June 27.

Charles Ede has bowed out of this week’s Masterpiece London in favour of the trio of TEFAFs. ATG meets two of the directors to find out how a synthesis of ancient and modern can benefit this long-standing family firm.

Walter Leblanc’s (1932-86) paintings and sculptures create illusions of movement through the manipulation of unconventional media. Originally from Antwerp, Leblanc started exhibiting with the ZERO movement in the early 1960s.

Some of the more successful lots in a June 1 sale at PBA Galleries (20/15% buyer’s premium) of the first portion of the Richard Beagle collection of angling and sporting books were scarce accounts of early hunting trips in the Yukon and Wyoming.

ATG previews a couple of upcoming lots at London auctions.

Mixing ancient and new is all the rage. The contemporary art boom has drawn new faces into the antiquities market, changing the way the trade think and display ancient art.

A pair of 12in (30cm) high Sèvres hard paste vases painted with elaborate chinoiserie sea battles by Jean-Jacques Dieu, proved the highlight of Bonhams’ June 14 sale of European ceramics.

‘Come one, come all to 'Masterpiece', buying ground for the best and rest.’ Such, in essence, is the rallying cry of Harry Apter, co-founder of the premier London fair, which has its eighth run from June 29-July 5.

London Art Week kicks off a host of events on June 30. Based in Mayfair and St James’s, LAW brings together more than 40 galleries as well as three auction houses in a celebration of historic painting, sculpture and drawing.

The Charing Cross Collectors’ Market, at the bottom of Villiers Street, near Charing Cross Station, has to be one of the longest running niche fairs in London.

Forget Michael Jackson and Madonna: this summer Timothy Millett and Claudia Hill are the king and queen of pop. Taking into account, that is, the title of their upcoming exhibition, 'POP: Portraits and Objects from the Past'.

Every year in July the railings on tree-lined Josephine Avenue in Brixton become a vibrant space; an open-air gallery exhibiting more than 1000 pieces of work from over 200 artists, printmakers and photographers.