Frost, Matthew Hawkins

Introduction:

Manchester-born itinerant profilist MATTHEW HAWKINS FROST (ca. 1810-1885) produced neat skilful sillhouettes from 1829 into the 1840s. All known works are bust-sized with well-crafted highlighting and virtually all are signed. Like many profilists working in the mid-19th century, Frost would turn to the relatively new art of photography when demand for painted portraiture waned.

Though McKechnie assessed Frost as having 'real artistic merit', few works are extant; these evidence a black or dark grey base colour. While male sitters are reproduced with a sure hand, Frost's most deft works are of sparingly coloured bonneted women. Ribbon chin ties can be blue, green or pink, bonnets painted Chinese white are augmented with light grey detailing, and hair is bronzed.

Bustline terminations are variable, but many present a marked forward dip with Frost often signing 'M.H.FROST', occasionally with a date below the bustline. Works are housed in papier-mâché or reeded ebonised wood frames. Foskett's Dictionary of British Miniature Painters  (1972) records a single miniature on card sold in Brussels in 1935, signed 'M.H.FROSTE pinxit'. Appearing to be a short-lived affectation, only the 1851 Census records Frost's surname spelt with an 'E'.

Recent research established Frost placed 5 advertisements in North Country newsprint between 1829 and 1837: YORK HERALD 12th December 1829, NOTTINGHAM JOURNAL 26th June 1830, STOCKPORT ADVERTISER 1st June 1832, DURHAM COUNTY ADVERTISER 20th March 1835, and the CARLISLE JOURNAL 25th February 1837.

In the DURHAM COUNTY ADVERTISER Frost lays out his terms in detail "...Coloured Profiles 5s, Highly Finished Profiles 7s 6d, Front Face, large size on board from 10s 6d to 1 G[uinea]...Miniatures on Ivory from 1 G to 5 G...Black or Grey Tinted Profiles, One Shilling and Half-a-Crown each". Animal portraits were also offered and "...specimens of Public Characters" were on view at his temporary studio.

The first 4 advertisements stated he was "...from the ROYAL ACADEMY, EDINBURGH", but given the cavalier adherence to veracity often exhibited in contemporary promotions, the assertion should be treated sceptically. It's worth noting when Frost wed in Norfolk in 1844, he gave an Edinburgh home address; however, no Scottish records pertaining to him have surfaced.

In the CARLISLE JOURNAL February 1837, Frost intimated "...Engagements in the fashionable Towns of the South of England..." soon required his departure, but exactly where he departed to is unknown, and his subsequent commercial history is only traceable through Census returns.

To be continued