'A' is for anatomy, 'B' is for bun fights, 'C' is for a certain cartoon by Leonardo. With Maurice Davies as an expert guide, discover a fascinating history of the Royal Academy of Arts from A to Z. Highs and Lows delves into the archives to find all kinds of documents and artefacts, which are reproduced alongside paintings, sketches and sculptures by some of Britain's best-loved artists. Davies's engaging text brings to life a hidden RA: from George Stubbs's equine dissections to the secret recipe for the mysterious 'beef tea', which has fortified Academicians for generations. Packed with quarrels and quibbles, triumphs and disasters, rivalries, romances and resignations, this amusing book provides a light-hearted look at the history of a unique institution as it celebrates its 250th anniversary. AUTHOR: Maurice Davies is Head of Collections at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. His previous roles include Deputy Director of the Museums Association, editor of Museums Journal, curator at Manchester Art Gallery and lecturer at Imperial College London. SELLING POINTS: . The weirdest and most wonderful moments from the history of the Royal Academy of Arts are brought together in this charming book, including stories about such artists as George Stubbs, John Constable, Joshua Reynolds, Angelica Kauffmann, J. M. W. Turner and David Hockney . Illustrated throughout with archival imagery, including paintings, letters, doodles and artefacts . 2018 will be the 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy of Arts 60 colour images