John Vanbrugh

The Drama of Architecture

Charles Saumarez Smith

$95.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd
20 November 2025

History of architecture

Series: Architectural History of the British Isles

Sir John Vanbrugh was one of Britain’s greatest architects and the designer of some of the most important and best beloved English country houses, including Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace. This beautifully illustrated biography draws on close study of Vanbrugh's letters to bring to life his ideas, beliefs, friendships and buildings, as well as providing insight into his professional practice and working relationships. Vanbrugh was, by the standards of architects of the time, a worldly figure, friend and ally of the great, with a strong sense of the imaginative characteristics of architecture, its power of evocation, and the emotional impact of a building’s massing, particularly when compared to the more disciplined and scholarly work of his contemporaries Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor.

Charles Saumarez Smith paints a fascinating portrait of a man whose architecture was shaped by his personality. The book also explores Vanbrugh's activities as a playwright and theatre manager, his circle of friends, his place in 18th-century society, and, in a final section, his influence on later architects from Robert Adam to Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown.

By: Charles Saumarez Smith
Imprint: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 250mm, Width: 170mm, Spine: 30mm
ISBN: 9781848227316
ISBN 10: 1848227310
Series: Architectural History of the British Isles
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 20 November 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Charles Saumarez Smith is a writer, curator and art historian. He has served as Director of the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery, London, as Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts, London, as Professor of Architectural History at the Royal Academy of Arts, and Chairman of The Royal Drawing School and The Watercolour World. He is currently a Trustee of the Garden Museum, and Emeritus Trustee of ArtUK and Charleston.

Reviews for John Vanbrugh: The Drama of Architecture

'The Building of Castle Howard first introduced us to Charles's work, a building that Bob (Venturi) and I had admired and learned from. I'm thrilled that he has followed this up with this comprehensive look at Vanbrugh from multiple angles - architect, playwright, and of course his delicious quarrel with the Duchess of Marlborough at Blenheim.' - Denise Scott Brown 'A magnificent tribute to Britain's architect of magnificence. John Vanbrugh was England's answer to the masters of the Italian baroque. He has found a fitting champion.' - Sir Simon Jenkins 'This book presents a fresh look at one of the most important and enduring architects of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries discussing the totality of his output and drawing out the cross-currents between all the varied facets of an extraordinary life.' - Elizabeth McKellar, President, Society of Architectural Historians (GB) 'This reads very well and is a superb introduction to Vanbrugh and his period as well as a major contribution to scholarship.' - Professor Jules Lubbock, University of Essex