author
William Alexander
1767–1816
An English artist and illustrator, he is best remembered for vivid images of China made during Lord Macartney’s embassy in the 1790s. His travel books and engraved scenes helped shape how British readers pictured Chinese life at the end of the eighteenth century.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Maidstone, Kent, on April 10, 1767, William Alexander trained at the Royal Academy Schools and built a career as a painter, illustrator, and engraver. In 1792 he joined Lord Macartney’s embassy to China as a junior draughtsman, a journey that gave him the material for many of the works he became known for.
Alexander turned his sketches from the trip into published images and books, including The Costume of China and Picturesque Representations of the Dress and Manners of the Chinese. His work stood out for its clear watercolor style and for the way it introduced British audiences to scenes of everyday life, dress, and ceremony in China.
Later in his career, he taught drawing and in 1808 became the first Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum. He died in Maidstone on July 23, 1816, leaving behind a body of work valued both for its artistry and for its record of cross-cultural encounter.