Abstract
This article attempts to refute the thesis of contemporary environmental criticism about aesthetic origins of american lawn culture. In contrast to prevailing view about aesthetic autonomy of perfect front lawn, the author traces the history of the concept back to the 18th century philosophy of internal senses as reflected in thought of Thomas Jefferson.
It is shown that in Jefferson's dynamic, processual conception of civic virtue (as foundation of democratic society), moral sense and sense of beauty are entangled with workings of cognitive capacities. Thus architectural and landscape designs of Jefferson (as well as of his successors, A.
J. Downing, F.
L. Olmsted, F.
S. Scott) carry out aesthetic, moral, educative, and, above all, political function.
The ideas discovered in Jefferson's work are followed throughout 19th century's industrialization and spread of suburban housing to emerging of post-war residental colonies, imposing the lawn politics through both legal and social pressure.