George Albert Frost
Encyclopedia
George Albert Frost was an American artist of the 19th century. He was born in Boston
, Massachusetts
and had a studio in North Cambridge, Massachusetts
for several years. He studied under Nicolas de Keyser at the Academy Royale de Belgique in Antwerp. His paintings were mostly landscapes, and he is considered a member of the White Mountain art
group of painters.
, he enlisted and served for more than two years. In 1865 he joined Colonel Franklin L. Pope's division of the Western Union
surveying party to British Columbia
for which he produced sketches. In 1866 he was assigned to Siberia
with the purpose of selecting a route to connect a telegraph line from San Francisco to Moscow
(Russian-American telegraph). He exhibited at the San Francisco Art Association in 1874, then studied at the Belgian Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, with Nicolas de Keyser from 1874 to 1876, and for the next ten years had a studio in North Cambridge, Massachusetts
. In 1883 he produced his earliest known White Mountain
work.
In 1885 he accompanied George Kennan on a second trip to Siberia to record the life of Russian exiles, during which time Frost painted several Siberian scenes. The trip was commissioned by The Century Magazine
, and Frost and Kennan took numerous photographs which later were given to the Library of Congress
and are now housed in the Library's Prints and Photographs Division. Selections from the George Kennan Collection in Meeting of Frontiers consists of 256 photographs taken in a wide range of locations in Siberia. The photographs from the trip were also used to illustrate Kennan's book, Siberia and the Exile System.
For a good many years, Frost had a summer home in Brownfield, Maine
, near the Conway
area of New Hampshire
. He painted many scenes along the Saco River
. He was a member of the Boston Art Club and exhibited there during the years 1896 to 1908. His last known address was Cambridge, Massachusetts.
His works are at the California State Library and the California Historical Society.
Signed and dated lower right: G. A. Frost. 1883. Oil on canvas, 28 x 48 inches. Private collection
The vista into Franconia Notch
from the south became known as the "Artist's View." Boston artist George Albert Frost expands our understanding of the White Mountains with an imaginative interpretation of Franconia Notch. Classically composed, with dark foliage framing the left side of the canvas and an expansive open space in the middle ground, giving way to atmospheric mountains in the distance, the notch is presented as an Arcadian
idyll. Franconia Notch's appeal as a subject may reflect that life in the area was still slow-paced. Its virgin landscape was as yet hardly altered by railroads, hotels, and related improvements.
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and had a studio in North Cambridge, Massachusetts
North Cambridge, Massachusetts
North Cambridge, also known as "Area 11", is a neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts bounded by Porter Square and the Fitchburg Line railroad tracks on the south, the city of Somerville on the northeast, Alewife Brook and the town of Arlington on the northwest, and the town of Belmont on the west...
for several years. He studied under Nicolas de Keyser at the Academy Royale de Belgique in Antwerp. His paintings were mostly landscapes, and he is considered a member of the White Mountain art
White Mountain art
White Mountain art is the body of work created during the 19th century by over four hundred artists who painted landscape scenes of the White Mountains of New Hampshire in order to promote the region and, consequently, sell their works of art....
group of painters.
Career
Frost was born in Boston in 1843. He left school at age eleven to work on a farm where he had no opportunity to follow his artistic inclinations. At the outbreak of the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted and served for more than two years. In 1865 he joined Colonel Franklin L. Pope's division of the Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
surveying party to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
for which he produced sketches. In 1866 he was assigned to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
with the purpose of selecting a route to connect a telegraph line from San Francisco to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
(Russian-American telegraph). He exhibited at the San Francisco Art Association in 1874, then studied at the Belgian Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, with Nicolas de Keyser from 1874 to 1876, and for the next ten years had a studio in North Cambridge, Massachusetts
North Cambridge, Massachusetts
North Cambridge, also known as "Area 11", is a neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts bounded by Porter Square and the Fitchburg Line railroad tracks on the south, the city of Somerville on the northeast, Alewife Brook and the town of Arlington on the northwest, and the town of Belmont on the west...
. In 1883 he produced his earliest known White Mountain
White Mountain art
White Mountain art is the body of work created during the 19th century by over four hundred artists who painted landscape scenes of the White Mountains of New Hampshire in order to promote the region and, consequently, sell their works of art....
work.
In 1885 he accompanied George Kennan on a second trip to Siberia to record the life of Russian exiles, during which time Frost painted several Siberian scenes. The trip was commissioned by The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine was first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City as a successor to Scribner's Monthly Magazine...
, and Frost and Kennan took numerous photographs which later were given to the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
and are now housed in the Library's Prints and Photographs Division. Selections from the George Kennan Collection in Meeting of Frontiers consists of 256 photographs taken in a wide range of locations in Siberia. The photographs from the trip were also used to illustrate Kennan's book, Siberia and the Exile System.
For a good many years, Frost had a summer home in Brownfield, Maine
Brownfield, Maine
Brownfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,251 at the 2000 census. Brownfield is home to the Stone Mountain Arts Center.-History:...
, near the Conway
Conway, New Hampshire
Conway is a town, the largest in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,115 at the 2010 census. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west and north. Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake State Park are in the west...
area of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. He painted many scenes along the Saco River
Saco River
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
. He was a member of the Boston Art Club and exhibited there during the years 1896 to 1908. His last known address was Cambridge, Massachusetts.
His works are at the California State Library and the California Historical Society.
Franconia Notch
The vista into Franconia Notch
Franconia Notch
Franconia Notch is a major mountain pass through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Dominated by Cannon Mountain, it lies principally within Franconia Notch State Park and is traversed by the Franconia Notch Parkway Franconia Notch (el. 1950 ft. / 590 m.) is a major mountain pass through...
from the south became known as the "Artist's View." Boston artist George Albert Frost expands our understanding of the White Mountains with an imaginative interpretation of Franconia Notch. Classically composed, with dark foliage framing the left side of the canvas and an expansive open space in the middle ground, giving way to atmospheric mountains in the distance, the notch is presented as an Arcadian
Arcadia (utopia)
Arcadia refers to a vision of pastoralism and harmony with nature. The term is derived from the Greek province of the same name which dates to antiquity; the province's mountainous topography and sparse population of pastoralists later caused the word Arcadia to develop into a poetic byword for an...
idyll. Franconia Notch's appeal as a subject may reflect that life in the area was still slow-paced. Its virgin landscape was as yet hardly altered by railroads, hotels, and related improvements.