The Architect and His Wife by Jane Ridley
The work of Edwin Lutyens variously includes the Cenotaph in Whitehall, vast Imperialist buildings in India (including much of New Delhi), Queen Mary's dolls' house and Hampstead Garden Suburb. But his greatest heritage is the traditional Edwardian country house, an architectural style he made his own, using local materials and often working with Gertrude Jekyll who designed the gardens for his family homes. This is a full biography of a witty, complex personality, a man who had little formal education, who loved jokes and hated growing up. He was the intimate of many famous families of his day. His wife, Emily, fell in love with Krishnamurti, 23 years her junior and believed to be the reincarnation of a god, and she thereafter spent her time and his money promoting Theosophy, a Hindu-inspired cult. Lutyens' failure to find a common language with Emily possibly drove him to seek the communication through the language of architecture which characterizes his best work.
Jane Ridley is Lutyens' great-granddaughter. His letters belong to her, and this biography is authorised by Lutyens' surviving daughter, Mary, who has given Jane Ridley full access to family documents. Jane Ridley teaches university courses on both Imperial history and architectural history at university level. Her previous books include The Letters of Arthur Balfour and Lady Elcho (co-editor with Clayre Percy) and a biography of the young Disraeli. She lives in London.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780701172015 |
| ISBN 10 | 0701172010 |
| Title | The Architect and His Wife |
| Author | Jane Ridley |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Vintage Publishing |
| Year published | 2002-06-20 |
| Number of pages | 496 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |