Forty years after Alien was released, Suzanne Harrington pays tribute to Lieutenant Ellen Ripley — one of the greatest female protagonists in cinema history.

THIS newly-discovered portrait of Olimpia Maidalchini Pamphilj by DiegoVelázquez sold for £2.49 million (€2,792,559) at Sotheby’s in London this month.

From the Three Stooges and The Smiths, to opera that literally made him sick, Enda Walsh tells Des O'Driscoll about some of his cultural touchstones.

Songwriter, actress, and singer Lua McIlraith takes a riotous look at ageing in her one-woman show ‘Growing Old (Dis)Gracefully’, says Margaret Jennings.

Christie’s and Sotheby’s are in the frame for a series of important sales, says Des O’Sullivan

The hugely successful ‘Naked Truth’ exhibition at Cork’s Crawford Gallery is about to get a whole lot more naked — thanks to a nude tour of the artworks.

Francis Bacon is among the artists featuring in a major new exhibition of an eclectic range of nudes at Crawford in Cork, writes Ellie O’Byrne.

Des O’Sullivan looks forward to some of the exhibitions that are due to open in the coming weeks.

William Crozier may have been born in Scotland, but the late artist spent many happy years in West Cork. Tina Darb O’Sullivan previews a major exhibition of his work in Skibbereen

Art and music will be found in all sorts of places at Killorglin’s K-Fest this weekend, Neil Browne tells Ellie O’Byrne

When Michael Peppiatt stepped inside the French House, a dark, dank Soho pub, one busy lunchtime in June 1963, he could hardly have anticipated how life-changing an impact the next few hours would afford him.

John Gasson falls in love with Italy’s blissful, rustic Aeolian Islands, from the fertile soils of Panarea, through to Lipari, the largest of the archipelago, and onto Salina.

John Minihan tells Ellie O’Byrne about his famous photograph of Samuel Beckett

An optimistic Francis Bacon double self portrait will lead Sotheby’s sale of contemporary art in New York next Wednesday evening.

We could be looking at the next Jack Yeats, Francis Bacon, or Robert Ballagh if the quality of this year’s Texaco Children’s Art Compeition was anything to go by.

Des O’Sullivan reports on a split canvas holding a nude by Francis Bacon. 

Iran is divided between those seeking to embrace a Western way of life and the tradtionalists, writes Janine Di Giovanni

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Masterpiece will live up to its billing once again, says Des O’Sullivan.

A vibrant, multi-hued painting from Pablo Picasso set a world record for artwork at auction, selling for $179.4m (€159.5m), while a sculpture by Alberto Giacometti set a record for most expensive sculpture, at $141.3m (€125.6m).

The Sunrise Ruby, a “pigeon’s blood” hued stone in a ring mounted by Cartier at Sotheby’s, Geneva on May 12 ($12-18 million)

Here's our pick of today's TV.

ANGELA Scanlon is from Co Meath and presents RTÉ travel show, Getaways, as well as being the online presenter for The Voice UK.

Conor Power finds winter in Madrid is the best time to experience its two priceless treasures — art and food.

Mick Jagger "could be a eunuch", one half of Grace Kelly’s face was "like a bull calf" and Elizabeth Taylor was vulgar and unladylike.

Fashion is a fickle mistress. In an industry predicated on newness, timing is crucial to maintaining a profile that is both relevant and exciting; not least for a designer whose name has yet to open any doors. For haute couture specialists, the success rate is riskier still.

Artist Tracey Emin was in the room to see her controversial creation My Bed shatter the record for one of her artworks at auction when it was sold for £2.54m (€3.17m).

Designer John Rocha has retired from London Fashion Week after almost 30 years. Rachel Marie Walsh remembers his fashion highlights

Simon Hopkinson is one of the big names coming to Ballymaloe next month. He talks to Joe McNamee about his life-long passion for food and cooking.

Eoin McNamee

William Burroughs’ centenary occurs this month. The West Cork-based photographer John Minihan recalls meeting the controversial author in London

A masterpiece by Francis Bacon has become the most valuable piece of artwork ever sold by auction house Christie’s in Europe after going under the hammer for a record €51.4m.