The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-02
DIR. ANDERSON.

The Father Of Wood Engraving in America.
Inote, says the New York correspondent Of
the Boston sunday G0sette, the death of DIR.
Alexander Anderson known in art ciroleshers
as the 'father of wood engraving in this
country" He had reached the green old age
of ninety-five. He studied for a physician,
but liking art better than pill and lancet,
went regularly into engraving as O business
in his thirtieth year. But he had previously
engraved in an amateur way, and when
seventeen years of age made the first wood
cut ever executed in this country.
Webster's Spelling Book was illustrated
by outs from his hand, and innumerable
primers and toy-books we're issued adorned
by his art. But how great have been the
changes in the art since DR.. Anderson's first
rude experimental What was at first but
cheap, inferior mode of illustration, has in
time come almost to rival costly steel plates.
Very little had been done in wood engraving
in this country until the issue Of the we'll
known Hsrper's Bible, which, ii will be re-
membered, appeared in numbers, each part
profusely adorned with engravings. The
beauty and finish of these engravings were
considered at the time quite remarkable, al
though the art since then has made notable
advances. The Harper Bible was produced
under the direction of Mr.. Adams,
who was one of the pioneers in the art
He was one of the first to demon
strate how wood cut should be printed,
and in connection with this an enter
tanning anecdote is told. Wood outs
have to undergo kind of preparation for
printing different from that of any other kind
of engraving, and which is technically known
as overlaying and underlying. These pro-
ceBses consist of o very careful cutting out of
bits of paper to the shape of the different
objects in the pictures, which, pasted under
the cut and on the tympan above it, strength
ems the impression in all the dark parts and
lightens it in others. If q cut is skillfully
prepared in this way, all its effects come out;
if badly prepared, it looks poor and ineffee-
tive no matter how well the engraver has
done his work Mr.. Adams was among the
first TO perceive the necessity of this sort of
preparation for wood-cuts, and in getting up
the engravings for the Harper Bible
stipulated that he should have the
right to prepare each form for the
press. SO when the first sheet for the work
was ready for the press, he pulled off
his coat and went to work at what is called
making ready" He prepared 'overlays'
and "underlays;" he eIperimented in this
way and in that he shifted, he adjusted,
he studied, until at last the brothers Harper
became alarmed at the delay and consequent
expense, and limited it was time the press was
at work. But Adams needed neither hints
nor remonstrances, and kept on with his ex-
counsel and summoned him before them. To
their complaints he answered by appealing to
his contract; the contract was referred to and
read, and the worthy brothers saw that
by its terms Mr. Adams could go on indef
nitely with his experiments With a good
grace the brothers laughed and submitted
and Mr.. A. went back to his press. Some
week after this-for the experiments occu
pied good deal of time-Mr. Adams carried
fo "a a Of WI
the engraving appeared printed with so mucl
beauty-a richness in the dark and delieacy il
the light before unknown to wood engraving
that the publishers were delighted. o.
course what took long time in the way o.
experiment. simplifed itself readily in prac
tice and the printing of the ''Pictoria
Bible" went on now rapidly, and when the
first number appeared it made a tremendou
hit. We do better engraving and printing
than then, but ''Harpers Picture Bible wa
a long step in advance of anything that hat
been done before.