China: The Three Emperors, 1662-1795
The season’s headline-grabbing spectacular (supposedly rescheduled to coincide with a state visit from China) concentrates on the arts, crafts and scientific instruments produced during the reigns of three Qing emperors. Many of the 400 exhibits have not been seen in Europe before.
Royal Academy, W1, until Apr 17
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Nigel Henderson
The subtitle of this intriguing exhibition is “Stressed and Altered Photographs”, and that sums it up pretty well. Henderson (1917-85) was a master of playful and sinister distortions, cleverly achieved in the darkroom.
Mayor Gallery, W1, until Mar 11
Embracing the Exotic
This show examines how African and Oceanic art affected the sculpture of Jacob Epstein and the almost forgotten Dora Gordine (1898-1991). The latter, a self-taught artist and cosmopolitan society figure, is something of a find.
Ben Uri Gallery, NW8, until Mar 19
Canaletto in Venice
Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, established the definitive image of Venice with his breathtakingly convincing paintings. Fourteen of them form the core of this exhibition, but there are also 70 works on paper — the largest group of the artist’s drawings ever shown.
Queen’s Gallery, SW1, until Apr 23
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Dan Flavin: A Retrospective
He of the coloured fluorescent light tubes died 10 years ago, so a retrospective may seem like a good idea. But Flavin is not that prominent an artist — at least, not in my view — though he has his advocates, and many of his pieces have an immediate appeal.
Hayward Gallery, SE1, until Apr 2
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Palace and Mosque
This superb show of Islamic art, drawn entirely from V&A collections, includes ceramics, textiles, rugs, paintings and glass.
Millennium Galleries, Sheffield, until Apr 17
Morandi’s Legacy: Influences on British Art
Yes, the Italian still-life painter (1890-1964) was influential, not least in Britain, but the argument advanced by this show is surely way over the top. Did Morandi really inspire artists as various as Ben Nicholson, David Hockney and Michael Craig-Martin? Whatever the answer, this is a fine exhibition of still-life painting.
Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal, until Mar 25