America's First Illustrator: Alexander Anderson Sixteen scrapbooks, containing close to 10,000 wood-engravings by 19th-century master illustrator Alexander Anderson. Collection History Sixteen scrapbooks, containing close to 10,000 wood-engravings by 19th-century master illustrator Alexander Anderson. Background Alexander Anderson (1775-1870) is considered one of America’s earliest and finest wood-engravers. During a career spanning seventy years, he produced a large number of illustrations for books, periodicals, newspapers, and other commercial ephemera, after both his own designs and those of other artists. Related Resources Books illustrated by Anderson are available in large libraries with strong 19th-century holdings, including NYPL. Duyckinck, Evert. A Brief Catalogue of Books Illustrated with Engravings by Dr. Alexander Anderson with a Biographical Sketch of the Artist [1885] Pomeroy, Jane Alexander. Anderson's Life and Engravings; with a Checklist of Publications Drawn from His Diary [1990]