Alexander Anderson
Alexander Anderson was a notable figure in American engraving, born in New York City to a Scottish auctioneer. Despite his father's aspirations for him to pursue a career in medicine, Anderson's passion for engraving emerged early on. He became an apprentice to Dr. Joseph Young and graduated from Columbia College in 1796, working at Bellevue Hospital during a yellow fever epidemic. This challenging experience led him to leave medicine behind and fully dedicate himself to engraving.
Anderson was self-taught, gaining skills by observing craftsmen and experimenting with various materials, including copper and wood. He adopted the white-line engraving technique, innovated his own tools, and produced his first significant work, *The Looking-Glass for the Mind*, in 1794. His portfolio includes engravings for a Webster's spelling book, a series illustrating Shakespeare's plays, and contributions to an anatomy book. Anderson's legacy as the father of American wood engraving is marked by his prolific output, which continued until 1868, well into his nineties.
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Subject Terms
Alexander Anderson
Printmaker
- Born: April 21, 1775
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: January 17, 1870
- Place of death: Jersey City, New Jersey
Biography
Alexander Anderson was born in New York City, the son of a Scottish auctioneer. Although Anderson showed an early interest in engraving, his father wanted him to become a medical doctor. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to Dr. Joseph Young and eventually graduated from the medical department at Columbia College in 1796. Anderson went to work at Bellevue Hospital in 1795 during a yellow fever epidemic. The experience of treating yellow fever victims nearly overwhelmed Anderson, and he thought of quitting medicine. Two years later, Anderson did quit medicine and turned his attention to engraving full time.
At the age of twelve, Anderson attempted his first copper engraving using pennies and other scrap metal. He received no formal training and acquired his knowledge by watching jewelers and other craftsmen. Some of his earliest professional efforts were engravings for medical books. Anderson learned it was possible to engrave on wood, and he adopted the white-line technique, invented in England by Thomas Bewick. After having designed his own engraving tools, he completed his first work, The Looking-Glass for the Mind in 1794. His best-known engravings are the illustrations for a Webster’s spelling book, a series of forty plates for William Shakespeare’s plays, and illustrations for an anatomy book. Anderson continued to produce wood engravings until 1868, when he was in his nineties. He is known as the father of American wood engraving.