The shadow of Lutyens, the English master architect of the Edwardian and inter-war years, is likely to fall across Venturi's National Gallery design. Another hero is Norman Shaw, who like Lutyens dabbled in styles from Queen Anne to classical. And let us not forget Sir John Soane, whose brilliantly austere Dulwich picture gallery of 1814 has been one of the stops on Venturi's cultural tour of Britain.

So what can we expect from Venturi at the National Gallery? What will such a confirmed eclectic, who sees equal merit in the Beatles and Scarlatti, provide for the nation's early Italian collection?

A clue is found in his last important American building, Gordon Wu Hall at Princeton University. A brick building with bay windows at each end reminiscent of a Lutyens country house, it sports a startling "face" of boldly patterned grey and white stone, interrupting the brickwork above the main entrance.

For some just an abstract pattern, stuck on the outside as if it were another decorated shed, for others it is a clear human symbol complete with eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth. Venturi has a habit of pulling this kind of stunt: just when you think you understand all the learned academic references, he goes and pulls a face at you.

This penchant for the architectural in-joke is something Venturi shares with James Stirling, currently licking his wounds after the Tate Gallery furore. The critical abuse flung at Stirling, in the context of Venturi's liking for sometimes bizarre ornamentation, is more than likely the cause of the delay in the scheduled announcement of his design. It was originally due to be made public a month ago. Since then, the plans have shuttled backwards and forwards across the Atlantic for last-minute changes. A persistent rumour says that Venturi has been made to tone down his design.

Something very much in context, even self-effacing, is the likely outcome this week. Venturi has to live up to a great deal. The knives are already being sharpened. A partner in one of the leading British architectural practices says: "I'm expecting to be disappointed. Venturi's books are brilliant - but he always writes much better than he designs."