Motif Number 1
Motif Number 1, located on Bradley Wharf in the harbor town of Rockport, Massachusetts, is a replica of a former fishing shack well known to students of art and art history as "the most often-painted building in America."[1][2] The original structure was built in 1840 and destroyed in the Blizzard of 1978,[1] but an exact replica was constructed that same year.[3]
Built in the 1840s as Rockport was becoming home to a colony of artists and settlement of fishermen, the shack became a favorite subject of painters due to the composition and lighting of its location as well as being a symbol of New England maritime life. Painter Lester Hornby (1882–1956) is believed to be the first to call the shack "Motif Number 1,"[2] a reference to its being the favorite subject of the town's painters, and the name achieved general acceptance.
In the 1930s, painter John Buckley used the shack as his studio.[4] He sold it to the town in 1945, dedicated "In 1945, the town of Rockport purchased the Motif as a monument to Rockporters who had served in the Armed Services."[5] The town, recognizing its iconic value, has taken pains to preserve both its structure and appearance, finding a red paint which appears weather-beaten even when new,[3] and keeping the area clear of overhead wires, traffic signs and advertising.
Motif #1 in popular culture
Apart from countless artists renderings, Motif Number 1 has appeared in other cultural media:
- Finding Nemo: The dentist's office in the popular animated film has a picture of Motif Number 1 hanging on the wall, a tribute by director Andrew Stanton to his hometown of Rockport.
- Disney's The Proposal utilized Rockport Harbor and adjacent Bearskin Neck to represent Sitka, AK. The Motif was slightly altered with a large "SITKA" sign which sported an Orca painted in native Northwest art style.
References
- ^ a b "A look back at the Blizzard of 1978". Boston.com
- ^ a b Vincent, Caitlin. (2007). Roadtripping USA: The Complete Coast-to-Coast Guide to America. Macmillan. ISBN 0-312-36182-3
- ^ a b Harris, Patricia and Lyon, David. (2006). You Know You're in Massachusetts When...: 101 Quintessential Places, People, Events, Customs, Lingo, and Eats of the Bay State. Globe Pequot. ISBN 0-7627-4132-5
- ^ "The Literary Life". Time Magazine, 1942.
- ^ Bartlett, Leslie. (2002). Motif No.1: The Little Fish Shack Which Refused to Go Away.
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