Guy Lowell toured Italy in the early 20th century, recording great rural villas and farmhouses. His photographs and drawings were released in two massive volumes in 1920, when the rage was on to recreate traditional Mediterranean architecture. The rage is back, and so are his books, in an even bigger compilation. In all, over 500 illustrations transport you through the Italian countryside in a simple, elegant lifestyle that today's busy landscape desingers, homebuilders, and great architects are attempting to recreate. Herein lies much inspiration for those who appreciate great classics. AUTHOR: Guy Lowell (1870-1927) studied architecture at HArvard, MIT, and Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He practiced architecture in Boston and New York in the early 1900s, with notable commissions including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the New York State Supreme Court. 483 b/w photos & 66 drawings