In 1936, while in Chicago, Arnold Friberg had designed a New Year’s art cover for the Southern Agriculturist depicting Father Time with an old plow. He was handing over the reins of the plow to Baby New Year, who was anxious to take control as Father Time pointed to a field of hard work ahead.

Most popular magazines of the 1930s and 1940s used symbolic illustrations on many of their covers. Father Time, Baby New Year, Uncle Sam, and other symbols regularly appeared on the magazines.

Many of Arnold Friberg’s paintings are done on illustration board, which is a fine rag drawing paper mounted on board, then glued to heavy masonite for added strength. In an art piece containing precise man-made creations such as architecture, it is easier to do the careful preliminary drawing on board, then paint over it. Board and canvas are equally permanent, and for centuries fine paintings have been done on either material, but art collectors often attach more importance to canvas.