National Gallery, London until 12 April 2015 While Rembrandt: The Late Works might be the hottest ticket on Trafalgar Square, the National’s show of 19th-century Norwegian painter Peder Balke – in its Sunley Room space – looks like a delightful exhibition to visit for free, displaying over 50 dramatic Scandinavian scenes that evoke the power and poetry of nature.

Waddington Custot Galleries, London until 13 December 2014 An exhibition on Cork Street focuses on an interesting series by American artist Frank Stella: his printed and painted takes on El Lissitzky’s illustrations of the Jewish Passover song, Had Gadya. The Russian’s geometric forms from 1919 were rethought in 1985 into lively shapes, as the Honorary Academician moved beyond minimalism to a more freeform practice.

Simon Lee Gallery, London until 24 January 2015 Painter Dexter Dalwood is known for his mysterious interiors or landscapes that associate with events of social or cultural significance, from the suicide of proto-Abstract Expressionist Arshile Gorky to the bedroom of Her Majesty the Queen. His latest series of works – all inspired by London and on show at Simon Lee, his new gallery – are more enigmatic than ever.

National Portrait Gallery, London until 22 February 2015 The history of art exerts itself on photographers as much as other artists it seems, judging by David Titlow’s winning entry to this year’s Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery. His group portrait of friends and family welcoming his dog has chiaroscuro of which Caravaggio would be proud. Over 60 other portraits are on show in the annual exhibition of the best entries.

House of Illustration, London until 22 March 2015 Following in the footsteps of the Academy’s major exhibition of the 19th-century artist Honoré Daumier, the House of Illustration pairs the Frenchman with the contemporary painter and printmaker Paula Rego. It will be interesting to see how the satirical tone of Daumier’s lithographs, commissioned for caustic newspapers such as Le Charivari, match Rego’s more mythical visions.

Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts, London until 25 January 2015 And a reminder that the Academy’s survey show of Allen Jones, much trailed in the national media over the last week, has now opened to the public. Read an interview with the pioneering Pop artist.

Sam Phillips (@SamP_London) is Editor of RA Magazine.