Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928) 

The Button was Gone 

c. 1900-1920 

Grisaille on paper, laid down on board. 

Signed A.B. Frost lower left 

Inscribed in pencil along right edge "the button was gone." 

Paper size: 14 3/4 x 17 1/2 in. 

A finely observed grisaille illustration by American artist Arthur Burdett Frost, known as A. B. Frost, depicts a lively rural scene in restrained gray, brown, and sepia tones. Subtle tonal gradations and expressive brushwork convey the textures of the rustic setting and its inhabitants.

At the center, two broad-brimmed men converse beside a wooden fence, their gestures suggesting an animated exchange. Behind them, figures gather near a farmhouse and outbuildings, while horses stand in the yard. Chickens scatter across the foreground and middle distance, joined by a pig and several dogs. These carefully arranged details create the humorous, anecdotal quality characteristic of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century American rural illustration.

The inscription, “The Button Was Gone,” suggests a comic incident, inviting viewers to imagine the circumstances behind the encounter. Frost combines keen observation with visual storytelling through expressive poses, convincing detail, and lively narrative composition.