Andrew Jackson Downing and the Pattern Book Revolution

Andrew Jackson Downing was an important landscape designer of the second quarter of the 19^th century, whose work had an influence on the development of Irvington as a suburban community.  Downing was also an author of an enormous tome on American landscape, a tastemaker in domestic architecture, the editor of a periodical about landscape gardening and “rural homes”, an advisor on the appropriate furniture and decorating for houses, a gregarious host from his home in Newburgh, NY, and the most important figure in developing American books about domestic architecture.  “Pattern books” had 18th century origins but because of the popularity and accessibility of Downing’s writing and illustrations, his books paved the way for a remarkable change in the way ideas about building and design were disseminated across the growing United States.