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BRIDGTON — he Rufus Porter Museum of Art and Ingenuity has added an interactive map on the museum website as a companion to the museum’s temporary exhibit on the travels of early 19th century artists.
The map was developed by 2022 Dorothy W. Sanborn Summer Intern Grace Acton and includes the travels of Rufus Porter and his nephew, Jonathan D. Poor. The exhibition is on view at the museum through Saturday, Oct. 8. To view the map, visit rufusportermuseum.org/interactive-map.
Map users may filter their search by artwork, which visualizes the locations of all Rufus Porter school murals and portraits, complete with photos of the artwork, attribution details, and information about where the art can be viewed now. They may also search by motifs, which provides an interface for folk art enthusiasts to learn more about the stylistic elements of Porter School murals. Users can select a motif and see the location of each mural that features that motif, as well as an image of the motif.
Acton said the goal of the map is to encourage people to think more deeply about who painted the more than 100 unsigned Rufus Porter School murals scattered throughout New England.
“There has historically been a tendency to attribute any Porter School mural to Rufus Porter himself,” Acton said. “But that discounts the work of other artists, like Jonathan Poor. We hope that by exploring motifs, we’ll be more able to distinguish each artist’s style and properly attribute these still unidentified works.”
The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday through Oct. 8.
PHOTO: A screenshot of the interactive map on the Rufus Porter Museum website that accompanies the museum’s exhibition of Porter School murals throughout New England. The map was created by intern Grace Acton. (Rufus Porter Museum image)
