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February 7, 2026

Secrets, Scandals, and Power Plays in Art

Leon Black and Ronald Lauder Joined Forces to Buy Masterpieces, Epstein Files Show • MFA Boston Denies Targeting Employees of Color in Layoffs • Royals Passing Notes and Back Room Deals: Inside Sales at Art Basel Qatar

 

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Today's stories:

Leon Black and Ronald Lauder Joined Forces to Buy Masterpieces, Epstein Files Show
U.S. Department of Justice releases of millions of Jeffrey Epstein investigation files in early February 2026 revealed that New York collectors...

MFA Boston Denies Targeting Employees of Color in Layoffs
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston said it did not target employees of color in a round of layoffs, responding to allegations that the cuts...

Royals Passing Notes and Back Room Deals: Inside Sales at Art Basel Qatar
Art Basel Qatar’s early sales were characterized by high-stakes, private negotiations involving VIP collectors, including members of Gulf royal...

Van Gogh’s ‘triple painting’ revealed by discoveries beneath the surface
Conservators at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam found that Vincent van Gogh’s Poplars near Nuenen is effectively a ‘triple painting,’...

Giorgia Meloni’s face removed from Rome fresco after complaints
A fresco in Rome’s Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina that included an angel resembling Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni was altered after...

When Artists Lose Their Archives
Hyperallergic’s article examines what happens when artists lose control of their archives—materials such as correspondence, sketches, photographs,...

Claire Tabouret on Criticism of Her Notre-Dame Cathedral Commission: ‘I’m Also Receiving A Lot of Love’
Artist Claire Tabouret addressed public criticism of her commission connected to Notre-Dame Cathedral, saying she has also received significant...

The Unruly Politics of Glitter
Hyperallergic’s essay traces glitter’s political meanings, describing how the material has been used in art and activism to signal visibility,...

Louvre Indefinitely Postpones Announcing the Winning Architect of Its $776 M. Expansion Project
The Louvre has indefinitely postponed announcing the winning architect for its planned $776 million expansion, according to ARTnews. The delay...

The Art World After Epstein
Hyperallergic’s article considers how the art world has responded in the years following Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 death, focusing on reputational...

 

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