Arthur Burdett Frost

Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851-1928)

Arthur Burdett Frost Sr. was one of America’s foremost illustrators. Born in Philadelphia in 1851 (a distant cousin of Robert Frost), Arthur B. attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He then worked as a novice lithographer in 1874 when he was given the opportunity to illustrate a book.

Out of the Hurly Burly, written by Charles Heber Clarke, turned out to be a sensation. Of Frost’s illustrations, the Philadelphia Item wrote: "It contains 400 of the best American illustrations we have ever seen". For Frost, this was the start of fifty prolific years of work for the top magazines in the country, including Harper’s, Scribner’s, Life and Collier’s.

During his long career, Frost illustrated more than ninety books, including those of Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Owen Wister, Lewis Carroll, and William Thackeray. Frost’s work is honest and true to life; his characters unglamorous and genuine.

[Taken from the internet web site of Comenos Fine Arts, www.comenosfinearts.com, 2/7/2000 --jag]