ANTIQUES AND THE ARTS WEEKLY

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Rufus Porter’s Curious World:

ART AND INVENTION IN AMERICA, 1815-1860

“Mercy Davies,” attributed to Rufus Porter, “Jane Noyes Gage,” attributed to Rufus Porter, Unidentified gentleman attributed to Rufus Por-
Acton, Mass., circa 1818-19. Labeled on back Merrimack, N.H., or Lawrence, Mass., circa 1838. ter, probably Massachusetts, circa 1825. Water-
“Mercy Davies. / Born in Acton, Mass. 1796. / Died Watercolor and ink on paper with printed type, color, ink and graphite. Private collection.
in Acton, Mass. 1837 / aged 41 / Aged 22 when this frame: 5-1/8 by 4¼ inches. Private collection.
was taken. Sister of Eda Davis [sic] Wheeler.” —Ralph Morang photo
Watercolor on paper, 4½ by 3¾ inches. Private —David Bohl photo
collection.

Martha Swan Flagg (1821–1853), attributed to ( continued from page 1C ) camera obscura. Instead of guarding those techniques and
Rufus Porter, circa 1830. Watercolor and ink. nearly 40 years and add significantly to the understanding many others as trade secrets, he published them: first in
American private collection. —David Bohl photo of Porter’s life as an artist, author, publisher and inventor. Select Collections of Valuable and Curious Arts, and Inter-
esting Experiments (1825), reprinted in 2009, and later as a
The catalog is divided into three chapters. Chapter one, series of columns in Scientific American. These publica-
written by Laura Fecych Sprague, “Rufus Porter: A Life in tions include numerous how-to instructions for painting
Motion” (comprehensive, with 172 footnotes); chapter two miniatures and other ornamental paintings — window
by Deborah M. Child, “Rufus Porter’s Miniature Portraits: shades, floor cloths and paintings on walls. Later publica-
Practice and Patrons” (59 footnotes); and chapter three, tions continued to share his work. In an 1846 article in Sci-
written by Justin Wolff, “Itinerancy, Aerial Navigation, and entific American, he gave directions for painting the dis-
the Many Networks of Rufus Porter” (132 footnotes). The tinctive type of portraits he is best known for. His obituary,
catalog also includes an appendix and extensive bibliogra- published in Scientific American, September 6, 1884, made
phy. note of his varied interests and itinerant lifestyle: “In 1813
he painted sleighs at Denmark, Maine, beat the drum for
The exhibit focuses on Porter’s life and work from 1815 to the soldiers in a Massachusetts (Maine was still a part of
1860, when he was at the height of his career. During this Massachusetts at this time) Militia company, taught others
period, he lived largely in Massachusetts with residencies to do the same, and wrote a book on the art of drumming.
in New York City and Washington, DC, from 1840 to 1854. This probably was his first book; many others would follow.
After the militia he taught school at Baldwin (Maine), mar-
Sprague’s essay explores the surroundings that Porter ried in Portland (Maine), taught at Waterford (Maine),
grew up in and the factors that influenced his later activi- made wind-powered grist mills at Portland, painted in Bos-
ties. Key among these influences was the time he spent as ton, as well as in New York state and New Jersey and he
a student at the progressive Fryeburg Academy where he traveled to Baltimore and Alexandria, Va.”
was enrolled at the age of 11. That academy’s first presi-
dent was Daniel Webster and he was succeeded by Rever- The obituary also discusses his life after leaving the Sci-
end Amos Jones Cook (1777-1836), a Dartmouth College entific American. “He was now very prolific with inven-
graduate. With these leaders, it was, unsurprisingly, ahead tions. The moment a new thing occurred to him, he made a
of its time in many ways and one of the first to admit girls. drawing and description and sold the whole or a share for a
Cook developed an extensive library and a Cabinet of Curi- small sum; and then worked out some other idea, to be sold
osities, to which Porter was exposed. Porter’s family moved in the same manner. The mere catalog of his inventions
to Portland when he was about 18, exposing him to a larger would be tedious. Among them were a flying ship, which he
world and then later to Boston — an even larger world. promised would fly miners to the California gold field in
three days, an air blower, punching press, trip hammer,
Porter willingly shared what he learned, including the pocket lamp, pocket chair, fog whistle, wire cutter, engine
techniques he developed to quickly and efficiently produce
his murals and portraits, for which he used stencils and the

“Family Register” (for Jabez Amsbury and Nancy Woodblock prints of “Sketches of Landscapes,” attributed to “Correct Likenesses / Taken with
Miller) by Rufus Porter, printed by Henry Bowen, Abel Bowen, frontispiece in Rufus Porter’s A Select Collection Elegance and Despatch by / Rufus
probably Boston, Mass., circa 1820-21. Hand col- of Valuable and Curious Arts, and Interesting Experiments, Porter” (detail), circa 1820. Wood-
ored engraving, 12 by 9 inches. Original grain- Which Are Well Explained and Warranted Genuine and May Be block print. Courtesy American
painted pine frame attributed to Porter. Rufus Performed Easily, Safely, and at Little Expense, 2nd ed., (Con- Antiquarian Society.
Porter Museum, Bridgton, Maine. cord, N.H.: J.B. Moore, 1826). Private collection.

—David Bohl photo —David Bohl photo

December 27, 2019 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — 7C

“Horse Power Boat” by Rufus Porter, published in American Mechanic, September 24, “Broadway Elevated Railroad” by Rufus Porter, designer
1842. Courtesy American Antiquarian Society. and inventor, published in Scientific American, January 1,
1846. Courtesy American Antiquarian Society.

Sally Wetherbee Adams and Joseph S. Adams, attributed to Rufus Porter, circa 1833. Back cover of Aerial Navigation: The Practicability of Trav-
Watercolor and graphite. Private collection. eling Pleasantly and Safely from New-York to California in
Three Days, Fully Demonstrated by Rufus Porter (New York:
H. Smith, 1849). William Markoe and Family Papers, Minne-
sota Historical Society, P447. Photo by Minnesota Histori-
cal Society.

lathe, clothes dryer, grain weigher, camera obscura, spring His wall paintings also present recognizable features. Plumb and level indicator invented by Rufus Por-
pistol, engine cut off, balanced valve, rotary plow, reaction Unlike other decorative painters, such as Moses Eaton Jr ter, unidentified engraver, New York City, circa
wind wheel, portable house, paint mill, water lifter, thermo (1796–1886), whose cutout patterns filled walls with 1846. Hand colored engraving, metal pointer,
engine, odometer, rotary engine and scores of other inven- repetitive geometric designs, Porter used stencils selec- wooden frame. Bowdoin College Museum of Art,
tions.” tively to facilitate the inclusion of “houses, arbors, villages, Brunswick, Maine. Photography by Luc Dem.
& c.” They saved him time, but his process was more “Volunteer Infantry or Light Infantry Company
His paintings and inventions, to some degree, reflect the sophisticated than Eaton’s because the exact size and Member,” attributed to Rufus Porter, probably
attitude of his predecessor Robert Fulton and his contem- placement of each element had to fit within the perspec- metropolitan Boston, Mass., circa 1825. Gouache
porary Samuel F.B. Morse. These men were also artists, tive of his landscape scenes. and graphite on card, 4 by 3-1/8 inches. Collec-
noted for their portraits and other paintings, before turn- tion of Tracy Goodnow.
ing their attention to the inventions such as the steamboat Of the dozens of New England wall paintings attributed
and electric telegraph, respectively. to Porter by Lipman and others, only three are recorded —Michael Fredericks photo
that bear his signature. Created in Massachusetts, not far
Porter began to come to the notice of antiquarians in from his home in Billerica, they decorated the Emerson
1926 when Edward B. Allen included Porter’s ornamental house in South Reading (now Wakefield), the Joseph
murals in Early American Wall Paintings, 1710–1850, and Gardner house in Woburn, and the Francis Howe house in
Louise Karr highlighted Porter’s signed murals in West West Dedham (today Westwood). Porter’s surviving Emer-
Dedham (now Westwood), Mass. A generation later, Jean son and Howe murals provide the foundation for under-
Lipman published Rufus Porter, Yankee Wall Painter standing his practice, his stylistic preferences and the true
(1950) and she expanded her scope with Rufus Porter, Yan- nature and extent of his work in this genre. Other orna-
kee Pioneer in 1968. Those publications have served as mental painters were inspired and encouraged by Porter’s
principal references on Porter’s life and work ever since. enthusiastic promotion, so it is not surprising that many
Laura Sprague and Justin Wolff, in their introduction to New England houses bear wall paintings in the “Rufus
the catalog for this exhibition, posit that Lipman was in Porter Style,” that is, murals featuring panoramic land-
error with some of her attributions. scapes, sometimes paired with stenciled borders. Porter,
however, was the master and his perspectives, his designs,
Few of Porter’s wall paintings are signed and only four of his technique and the quality of his execution is superior
his miniatures are signed. Both Sprague and Child attri- to others. Again, he shared his techniques and elaborated
bute this to the fact that Porter looked at these endeavors on many technical and stylistic details for creating pan-
as money-making pursuits. He did not aspire to produce oramas in Curious Arts and, especially, his “Art of Paint-
fine art. One of his advertisements stated that it would ing” series in Scientific American in 1845 and 1846. By
take only ten minutes for him to produce a likeness. As an combining a study of motifs with a careful analysis of his
entrepreneur, Porter sought to attract as many sitters as signed work, his iconography, use of perspective, painting
possible regardless of their social standing, and his clients style, technique and materials, a coherent group of murals
ranged from boot makers, farmers and tavern keepers to emerges that can reasonably be ascribed to him.
publishers and state representatives. As active partici-
pants in the industrialization that was transforming New Porter’s inventiveness and itinerancy is discussed in
England, they likely had much in common with Porter. depth in chapter three, the essay by Justin Wolff. He
Most of his miniatures were produced in a ten-year period quotes an English obituary writer, Porter was “representa-
from 1820 to 1830 and most were produced within 50 tive of American genius” and renowned for a “long career
miles of Billerica, Mass., his hometown. Only two were of usefulness as an inventor of turbine waterwheels, wind-
done of his own family members. mills, flying ships, rotary engines, and sundry contrivanc-
es for abolishing as far as possible agricultural labor.”
Although portrait miniatures first became popular in the Wolff says, “however, many of Porter’s patented devices —
United States in the 1760s, they were not inexpensive, his self-adjusting cheese press for instance, or combined
most being done on copper or ivory. As economic prosperity chair and cane failed to catch on. Even more ignominious-
increased so did the demand for miniatures. Porter, and ly, he traded the production rights to his revolving rifle to
others of his time period, worked on paper and were able Colt for a mere $100; sold Scientific American, now the
to charge far less, although obtaining the high-quality longest continuously published magazine in the United
paper needed for rendering fine details was difficult. Por- States, for several hundred dollars; and failed to launch
ter used mechanical devices such as the camera obscura to anything except a small model of his much-hyped flying
reduce the time needed and therefore the price he would machine, which he promised would fly from New York to
charge. California in three days. Porter lacked the business acu-
men and fiscal discipline required to succeed in the mar-
According to Child, Porter’s miniatures have “distin- ketplace. He was, according to his own son, ‘prolific’ and
guishing features that set them apart. His sitters, when ‘inventive’ but also ‘improvident.’”
shown in profile, have a forward gaze, and their pupils
have a distinctive oval shape. A deep reddish-brown line Although he worked on numerous inventions, his pas-
defines the separation of their lips, and the hollows of their sion, for a 20-year period, was development and promotion
ears are often a unique C-shape. A reliable method for of his idea for aerial navigation, his “aeroport” or “travel-
identifying Porter’s style is to compare his instructions for ling balloon.” By flying his scale models in New York and
miniature painting with his attributed portraits.” Those Washington, Porter successfully demonstrated his vision
guidelines appeared in “Miniature Painting,” published in for mechanized flight.
Scientific American, January 22, 1846. Although Child has
identified 120 miniatures that can be attributed to Porter, Bowdoin’s exhibition is long overdue and visitors are
only four are signed. No account books have yet been dis- sure to come away with an expanded understanding of a
covered that might add to the knowledge of his works. Por- fascinating individual.
ter’s final miniatures of identified sitters coincided with
the advent of daguerreotypes in 1839. For all of his artistic Bowdoin College Museum of Art is at 9400 College Sta-
and technological know-how, Porter exhibited no interest tion. For information, www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum or
in pursuing this new medium. 207-725-3000.

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