The Latest Breaking News from Vermeer

Comprehensive collection of the 17th-century painter’s work aims to place him alongside Rembrandt and Vermeer, but his technically brilliant paintings are weirdly soulless

With time-stopping attention to detail, the Observer’s art critic searches for redemption in the rubble of the catastrophic Delft explosion of 1654 – to miraculous effect

The critic explains her fascination with Carel Fabritius, whose studio was destroyed in a 17th-century explosion

With the Amsterdam blockbuster all sold out, our writer picks 10 alternative arty must-sees in Europe – all reachable by train

Ahmed Rabbani was held in the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay for nearly 20 years and was eventually released without charge in February. Ahmed says his paintings denounce the torture he suffered at the hands of his captors and is asking the US military to return the artwork he…

The art was, of course, sublime. Unlike the boat trip to Holland, the relentless rain, clogged motorways and packed gallery rooms

Hard-drinking weekenders, Airbnb and noisy suitcases are no longer welcome in cities such as Venice and Marseille

Letters: The mastery of a such a technique would only serve to confirm the artist’s brilliance, writes Jane Jelley

Carlo Hintermann’s feature debut is a sometimes bizarre exploration of spirituality and obsession but it is hard not to succumb to its exquisitely rendered mysteries

Brief letters: Harm caused by fireworks | Pub pedantry | Evade the Question Time | Art over artist | The joy of eggs

This thoughtful exhibition shows how artists have utilised windows for more than just voyeuristic thrills. But it has a Vermeer-shaped hole