building the american landscape - Univerza v Novi Gorici

convinced many architects to dedicate themselves to and develop a passion for the
discipline of landscaping.
In his Treatise, Downing not only took the trouble to work out a theory of the
landscape and to share his knowledge of it, he also tried to follow the example of
Repton and Loudon and provide captivating, educational illustrations.
Thus, he involved Alexander Jackson Davis, a promising architect from New York
and John Notman (1810‐1865) of Philadelphia, also an architect and project
designer of Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1836 [Figures 103‐104]. From England, Loudon
provided pictures and descriptions of the English Suburban Cottage. His partnership
with the two young, American project designers was not a casual choice, nor was it
dictated by the need to print the volume.
In the 1840s, Davis was already involved in the search for a rural, picturesque,
architectural style which was basically Neo‐Gothic, contaminated by various formal
etymons, at the time when the “national” style, the federal‐style, which he himself
had skilfully tried, was at its height. In other words, he had taken on a commitment,
which implied that the Jefferson‐type classicism had to be overcome in order to
experiment cultural choices, which were closer to the new, romantic demands.
Moreover, Davis was a skilled illustrator, as he had eclectically prepared numerous
drawings of country houses for a book published in 1836, entitled Rural Residences.
This publication was only part of a wider publishing project, which had been
interrupted by the economic crisis of 1837.
John Notman, on the other hand, was a successful architect, known above all for
Laurel Hill cemetery in Philadelphia, one of the most important rural cemeteries in
the United States. With a neo‐classical entrance and gardens delineated by winding
paths, Laurel Hill was set a few miles from the town, in true rural garden style, in an
attempt to offer residents a picturesque park for trips out of town. Laurel Hill was
“more than just a cemetery”, a place for walks, for tours to see the gardens and
sculptures and for picnics. A phrase printed in the advertising material of the
company running it continues to invite today’s visitors to do the same activities. The
illustrations provided by these architects helped pass on Downing’s message. They
were not illustrations designed in the typical, harsh style of architecture, which used
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