Frank Graham Cootes (1879–1960) was born in Staunton, Virginia, and attended Washington and Lee University, the University of Virginia, and the New York School of Art. He had a successful career in New York, creating illustrations for novels and magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post, Vogue, Scribner’s and Ladies’ Home Journal. He was a member of the Society of Illustrators.

Cootes was also an accomplished portraitist; he created the official White House portrait of President Woodrow Wilson.