FOLK ART MURALS OF THE RUFUS PORTER SCHOOL; New England Landscapes: 1825-1845

A look at over 400 New England folk art murals of Rufus Porter and his students. 

This book is the long awaited update of research on the Rufus Porter Landscape Mural School, greatly expanding the knowledge and understanding of this uniquely American folk art field of the 1820s to 1840s. The text provides detailed documentation never seen before in print, taking the reader on a virtual tour of Porter School murals in the New England states, presenting and analyzing more than 400 colorful images, which will provide inspiration for historians, researchers, designers, and painters alike.

It offers evidence regarding the attribution of these mostly unsigned works, and encourages readers to apply that evidence in reaching their own conclusions. In addition, there is a section concerning the preservation of historic murals and various challenges and threats to such preservation. Finally, the book offers a "how-to" section that interprets Porter's original published mural painting instructions in terms of modern equipment, materials, and supplies.

Linda Carter Lefko is an artist, teacher, and scholar of historic decorative arts. She resides in Penn Yan, New York.

Jane E. Radcliffe has been involved in museum work for decades and has been researching Porter School murals for many years. She resides in Hallowell, Maine.