John Brewster House
About This Tour
Both of the floors in the stair hall and an upper bedchamber have murals painted by an unknown artist.
The John Brewster House
The ca. 1805 John Brewster House in Ossipee, New Hampshire is a simple, vernacular home located on a hill overlooking the White Mountains. In 1809, the house was sold by then–owner Daniel Abbott to John Brewster. The house was enlarged sometime around 1820. The exterior is modest, embellished with only a simple transom window above the doorway.
Both the first and second floor of the stair hall and an upper bedchamber in the John Brewster House have murals painted by an unknown artist. In the early nineteenth century, even a simple home like this one might have been embellished with murals.
About the Art
The murals in the John Brewster House can be found in the first and second floors of the stairway and an upstairs bedchamber. Unlike most Porter School murals, which are applied onto a painted background, the paint here was applied directly to raw plaster.
The large, simple trees in this bedchamber have a distinctive trunk and branch structure. The small trees have dramatically shaded foliage and some appear to have little “feet” at their bases.
Below: The murals in the bedchamber were painted using a limited color palette of black, yellow, gray and green. The murals depict scenes of trees and distant mountains, with no signs of human presence.
Even the irregular space under the stringer is embellished with trees. Note how the height of the trees was adjusted to fit the available wall surface.
The largest trees at the overmantel in the bedchamber were boldly painted, using only two colors — gray for the trunks and yellow for the foliage.
In the second floor of the stair hall, the artist painted bold trees using a limited number of colors. The painter of these murals used multiple techniques to paint the foliage. The trees continue around the corners, immersing the viewer in the art.
About the Artist
Family tradition states that these murals were painted by Hale Chapman (1810–60), who was said to be a son–in–law of the Brewster family. Chapman’s wife was named Elvira J. Colby (ca. 1813–96), but it is unclear if she was related to the Brewsters. Her father, however, was Moses Colby, whose house, along with the William Goldsmith House near Water Village, New Hampshire was said to have been painted by Chapman as well. Unfortunately, these painted walls no longer exist. Research confirms that a Hale Chapman did indeed live in Ossipee in the 1830s — around the time the murals were most likely completed — with various historical sources listing Chapman as a “Painter.”
The style and design scheme of the John Brewster House murals do not immediately identify them as the work of other known muralists of this time. Scholars agree that it is unlikely that these walls were painted by well–known New England muralist Rufus Porter (1782–1884) as they do not possess any of the typical Porter motifs. The style of the Brewster House murals, however, does seem reminiscent of early work by Porter’s nephew and fellow painter, Jonathan D. Poor (1807–45). In his early work, Poor relied on a simple design scheme of trees in his murals. It is also difficult, however, to confidently attribute these walls to Poor as they lack many (but not all) of his typical motifs and layouts.
It is also possible that the John Brewster House artist studied under Poor or was influenced by his work. Returning to Chapman as the potential artist, further research reveals that he was born in Parsonsfield, Maine, where J. D. Poor would later paint at least six murals in the late 1820s and early 1830s. If Chapman did indeed paint these walls, as oral history states, it is quite possible that he had a connection with Poor or had seen his work in–person previously.
A comparison of the John Brewster House murals and the signed J. D. Poor walls in the Benjamin and Abigail Dalton House in North Parsonsfield, Maine reveals aesthetic similarities that seem to suggest some sort of connection. The trees in a Porter School mural are often helpful clues as to who might have painted a wall. Like other Porter and Poor walls, the foliage on some of the trees in the Brewster House was painted using a stippling technique. While not exactly the same, many of the trees in the Brewster House also have a similar branch structure and shading to those at the Dalton House. The sizes, shapes, and types of trees in both houses also vary in a similar manner. Other shared elements are the use of yellow paint, reminiscent of a shade commonly used by J. D. Poor, and the sumac bushes flanking either side of the fireplace.
While it is difficult to confirm the identity of the artist who painted this wall without a signature, it is important to remember that muralists did not work in isolation during this time as collaboration and the borrowing of ideas was a common occurrence. The Brewster House artist painted using techniques similar to both Porter and Poor and can be considered a talented Porter School artist.