| Sir John Vanbrugh, born in London in 1664, was a dramatist and architect. He is most renowned for his design of Blenheim Palace. Two of his literary works The Provoked Wife and The Relapse were initially controversial but later became lasting favourites on the stage.
Right through his life Vanbrugh was an extremist. As a young man he was involved in the scheme to place William III as the monarch and overthrow James II. His dangerous involvements made him a political prisoner in the Bastille in Paris. As a playwright he slighted many segments of 18th century society with his views on the rights of women in marriage and the overt sexual explicitness in his plays.
Vanbrugh's career was assorted, consisting of architectural creations and playwriting, and efforts to merge these two varying interests. These overlapping business ventures and accomplishments were at times confusing for Vanbrugh himself, but he did create the English Baroque with his architectural designs, which was daring and bold in its concept.
Vanbrugh died of asthma in 1726 in one of the houses that had been designed by him, and where he had lived since 1703. |
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