Sir John Vanbrugh was an English dramatist and architect. His best known plays, The Relapse (1696) and The Provoked Wife (1697) are imbued with Restoration wit and cynicism.
As his repute as an architect grew, he turned away from the stage, becoming Sir Christopher Wren's principal colleague. He is especially noted for Blenheim Palace (the culmination of English Baroque) and Castle Howard.