A. B. Frost
An American artist who captured the kinetic chaos of country life and gave Br'er Rabbit his visual soul with wit and fluid line work.
1851–1928 (age 77)·American illustrator, graphic artist, painter and comics writer·Birthday: January 17
Biography
A.B. Frost was the visual poet of American vernacular life in the late 19th century. Before the photograph could capture motion, Frost's pen and brush froze the hilarious, fleeting moments of hunting trips, sporting blunders, and rural mischief with unparalleled clarity. His work for Harper's Weekly and other periodicals defined a genre of American graphic humor. While he illustrated works by famous authors like Lewis Carroll and Washington Irving, his most enduring partnership was with Joel Chandler Harris. Frost didn't just draw the Uncle Remus tales; he animated them, giving Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and the whole gang their definitive visual personalities—crafty, expressive, and alive with movement. His later years were dedicated to painting, often scenes of quail hunting and Southern landscapes, but it is his illustrative work that cemented his place as a foundational figure in American cartooning and visual storytelling.
#1 When A. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1851
A.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1851Born
1856Started school
1864Became a teenager
President: Abraham Lincoln
1867Could drive
President: Andrew Johnson
1869Could vote
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1872Turned 21
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1881Turned 30
President: Chester A. Arthur
1891Turned 40
President: Benjamin Harrison
1901Turned 50
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 60
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1921Turned 70
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1928Died at 77
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
Key Achievements
- Created the definitive illustrations for Joel Chandler Harris's 'Uncle Remus' stories, shaping the characters' iconic looks.
- Pioneered sequential visual storytelling with works like 'Stuff and Nonsense,' a precursor to the comic strip.
- Produced a vast body of work for Harper's Weekly, capturing American sporting and rural life with humor and accuracy.
- Illustrated editions of Lewis Carroll's 'Rhyme? and Reason?' and Washington Irving's 'Rip Van Winkle.'
Did You Know?
He was largely self-taught as an artist, beginning his career as a wood engraver.
He was an avid sportsman, and his intimate knowledge of hunting and fishing informed his most famous illustrations.
He suffered from worsening eyesight in his later years, which affected his ability to paint.
His work was highly praised by contemporary artists including Howard Pyle and Norman Rockwell, who considered him an influence.
“The only way to learn to draw is to draw, and to keep on drawing.”
