Alexander Anderson

Alexander Anderson was an artist active in a concentrated period between 1938 and 1940. His documented output relates primarily to the extensive national project focused on the documentation of American material culture, referenced as the "index of american designs."

Documentation of fifteen items associated with the index of american designs is attributed to Anderson. The specific objects represented in museum collections detail early American decorative arts and practical objects, including domestic items such as the designs for the Comb Wall Case and Foot Stool, and agricultural artifacts like the Leather Water Bucket, Ox Collar, and Horse Head Hitching Post.

Anderson’s work is highly valued for its historical precision and detailed technical rendering. Five specific works are preserved in museum collections, with the entire group of documentation housed at the National Gallery of Art. Because of their detailed accuracy, digital files of many Alexander Anderson prints are now frequently available as public domain resources, serving as key references for historical study and the production of high-quality prints.