Frieze Art Fair returns to London this month under the direction of Eva Langret, with both contemporary and Masters shows exhibiting in Regent’s Park, NW1. Although the former has, in recent years, inspired more groans than gawps, it remains a welcome lift to the capital’s social scene at a time when many are already contemplating hibernation.

One thing Frieze also prompts is a reckoning about London itself, its status as a global art capital and the current state of its museums . If you want to fit in at Frieze Masters, a good start would be to claim, loudly, that the city hasn’t had a five-star show since Lucian Freud’s at the National Gallery in 2022.

A quick trip to Christie’s or Sotheby’s ahead of auction, however, dispels any impression of London as an art-market morgue. Works by

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