Henry VIII reigns supreme

Henry VIII-palooza: Few monarchs loom as large in British history as Henry VIII - and the king's considerable girth is only part of it. He had a personality every bit as large as his waistline. His rule had an enormous historical impact, beginning with his founding of the Church of England. This year marks the 500th anniversary of Henry's accession to the throne, and observances abound. Running through Sept. 6, the British Library's "Henry VIII: Man and Monarch" comprises notable documents from his reign (96 Euston Road, London, 011-44-20-7412-7676, www.bl.uk). The Tower of London's "Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill" presents samples of the monarch's arms and armor through Jan. 17 (011-44-20-3166-6000; www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflon don). "Henry VIII - Heads and Hearts" offers reenactments of daily life at Hampton Court Palace, his favorite residence, through Dec. 31 (East Molesey, Surrey; 011-44-20-3166-6000; www.hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace). The most extensive exhibition - and longest-running (until next April 10) - is at Windsor Castle. "Henry VIII: A 500th Anniversary Exhibition" consists of paintings, drawings, prints, books, and manuscripts from the Royal Collection. (Windsor, 011-44-20-7766-7304 , www.royalcollection .org.uk.)

THROUGH JULY 5

ROME

"Fra Angelico and the Dawn of the Renaissance": The Capitoline Museum has assembled the largest retrospective devoted to this early Renaissance master in more than 50 years. In addition to paintings and altarpieces, the exhibition includes manuscripts, highlighting Angelico's talents as a draftsman as well as colorist. Piazza del Campidoglio 1, 011-39-060608, www.museicapitolini.org.

THROUGH JULY 12

MUNICH

"Democratic Design - IKEA": "Aesthetic form is there for all. And not just for the museum!" So declared a 1979 catalog for IKEA, the Swedish home-design company that is the world's largest retailer of furniture. This exhibition at the Pinakothek der Moderne is the first museum show to examine the impact of IKEA's design philosophy of simplicity, attractiveness, and low cost. Barer Strasse 40, 011-49-892-38-05-3-60, www.pinakothek.de/pinakothek-der-moderne/englisch/englisch.htm.

THROUGH SEPT. 6

NEW YORK

"Avedon Fashion 1944-2000": Richard Avedon is among the greatest of fashion photographers. Surely, no one else did as much to revolutionize the genre, bringing models out into the real world and lending an energy and irreverence to fashion not previously seen. This exhibition at the International Center of Photography is the first devoted solely to Avedon's fashion work and includes some 175 of his photos. 1133 Avenue of the Americas, 212-857-0045, www.icp.org.

MAY 28-JULY 18

LOS ANGELES

"Barack Obama: The Freshman": Twenty-nine years ago, Lisa Jack was an undergraduate at Occidental College in Los Angeles. A budding photographer, she asked a fellow student if she could take his portrait. His name was Barack Obama. She took 36 photographs in all, and they make up this exhibition at the M+B Gallery. 612 North Almont Drive, 310-550-0050, www.mbfala.com.

JUNE 6-AUG. 23

ATLANTA

"Monet Water Lilies": There may be only four paintings from New York's Museum of Modern Art in this exhibition at the High Museum of Art of works by the much-beloved French Impressionist. That doesn't mean it's a small show in terms of square inches. Its centerpiece is the 42-foot-wide triptych "Reflections of Clouds on the Water-Lily Pond." 1280 Peachtree Street, NE, 404-733-4444, www.high.org.

PLAN AHEAD

JUNE 30-12

Montreal International Jazz Festival: This year marks the festival's 30th anniversary. Some 3,000 performers will be participating in the celebration. Notables include Maria Schneider, Chucho Valdés, Buddy Guy and Susan Tedeschi, Wayne Shorter, King Sunny Ade, Jeff Beck, and Ornette Coleman. There are more than 650 concerts scheduled, 450 of them free. 888-515-0515, www.montrealjazzfest.com.

MARK FEENEY

Events are sometimes canceled, rescheduled, or sold out; check online to confirm. Mark Feeney can be reached at mfeeney@globe.com.