Frost, M. H.

Introduction:

M.H. Frost is only known from the several profiles which bear his signature. However, these few examples are highly regarded by collectors. While Joll describes Frost’s work as ‘competent and attractive’, McKechnie considered the artist unequivocally ‘skilful’ and the works as possessing real artistic merit.

As a profile by M.H. Frost was sold in Belgium, conjecture has arisen as to whether or not Frost was Belgian. Equally, considering the faithful and precise details of costume and hair, it could be supposed that M.H Frost was a young woman. Conjecture, however, is all that one can do concerning this artist’s identity or biography. On those works which have been signed the signature appears in the gray shadow-line below the bust-line and is often accompanied by a date.

However these signed examples do provide consistent identifying details for unsigned works. Most frequently these include dark grey faces and gum Arabic used on the black of clothes. Gold highlights on hair, careful and painstaking detail on eyebrows and buttons and unusual stylistic elements on clothes are also significant. However, according to a recent article by Joll, the most unusual and almost infallible identifier is the addition on several subjects of a coral necklace. To date, no other artist has provided this unusual detail. M.H. Frost remains mysterious but exciting to collectors today.

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