Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944) is considered one of England’s greatest and most prolific architects with more than 600 commissions in Great Britain, Europe, South Africa, India and the United States. Beginning at the age of nineteen with little formal education or architectural training, his career lasted more than half a century, from the time of Queen Victoria to World War II. Lutyens is an icon with American architects and designers, especially as the architect of fabulous country houses, for their originality and durability of style. His solid reputation is based upon his masterful synthesis of vernacular forms and brilliant, inventive use of Classicism.