Books published by Royal Academy of Arts

An in-depth exploration of the forgotten buildings of postwar Britain, charting their evolution from ambitious concepts to abandoned constructions.

Michelangelo's (1475-1564) "Taddei Tondo," in the collection of the Royal Academy in London, offers a fascinating insight into the master's technical and experimental skill. Joshua Reynolds, the Academy's first president, considered that Michelangelo represented everything that an artist should aspire to, combining technical brilliance with sublime poetical imagination, and the Tondo shows this in scintillating relief. Expertly researched and written by the renowned Renaissance art historian Alison Cole, this book moves through the life of the "Tondo," from Michelangelo's rivalry with Leonardo to the marble's arrival at the Royal Academy and its use in the RA Schools. Finishing with a fresh look at the Tondo's role in revealing Michelangelo's technical experimentalism, Cole explores the importance of finish and what constitutes a finished work of art. Lavishly illustrated and including new photos of the Tondo, this is an enriching exploration of a lesser-known side of the great Renaissance master's work.

A jewel-like book that evokes unmistakable Italian landscapes and cityscapes. It commits every detail to paper, and the small-scale format emphasises the author's distinctive flair for capturing the relationship between extreme foreground and distance. It explores Italy, from Apennines to Veneto, through the eyes of a very particular artist.

Covering every stage of the design process, this book features working drawings of a architect and also includes sketches from structures for the London Olympics to the restoration and reconstruction of the three Grade II listed gas holders in Kings Cross, London - as well as a gazetteer with photographs of the final projects.

Chris Orr MBE RA is one of Britain's foremost printmakers. In this book, the author considers the significant contribution that Orr has made to printmaking as a teacher, first at Cardiff College of Art and then in London at Central St Martins and the Royal College of Art, where he was Professor of Printmaking from 1998 to 2008.

Brings together some well-known tales - Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin - with others that are less familiar. This title is informed by the art of the past, attuned to idiosyncrasies of character and incident.