I think that it is clear that the paragraphs immediately above, i.e. the text in small type, must be text as translated into English from the original French. A shortened version of the title of the French volume is given at the end. It would be good to be able, one day, to locate that original French text and place it also on this page. In that regard, it was of interest to find a listing (early 2006 I believe but now long gone) for a portrait of the artist from a later (vers 1885) edition of the same work. That listing essentially read as follows:

I refer above to a French text from which a few lines, translated into English, appear above. I now learn, in Apl. 2021, that such text was printed on the rear of the 'Schenck' page in 'Galerie Contemporaine des Illustrations Françaises' (see below). An image of that page has become available vie e-Bay, but I have not yet tried to transcribe the text & then, on a 'best efforts' basis with my limited French, translate it into English. Probably with the two texts to be made available side by side. For the webmaster a quite difficult assignment yet to be accomplished. But the image of the significant portion of that page is now available for viewing by site visitors here.

I have not yet succeeded in getting access to any edition of that volume (published and republished in the period of 1876/1894) but now know much about it. It would seem that it contained 81 illustrated essays of prominent citizens of the day including painters and sculptors. All illustrated, so far as I can see, by photographs taken by Ferdinand Mulnier, a French photographer, active in the period of 1870/1876, whose studio was at 25 Boulevard des Italiens, Paris. I cannot yet locate his dates of birth and death. Individual 'woodburytype' plates from the volume, are offered for sale frequently. The National Gallery of Canada had 61 such plates in its collection identified 'Goupil & Cie' - who perhaps then were the publisher of the volume.

Why am I telling you all this? Because the 74th plate in the volume is none other than Albert Schenck. And at left above, without more ado, is that portrait or at least the significant content of the Schenck plate since I cut a portion off the top. At last an image of the artist! From the period of 1870/1876 it would seem. A larger version of such image, again with the top portion cut off, can be seen here.

It is from 'Galerie Contemporaine Artistique, P36, p45', but how that relates to what seems to be a full page image in 'Galerie Contemporaine des Illustrations Françaises', as above, I do not know. You used to be able see what I found at a now dead 'Mercury National Gallery of Art Archive' page.

Here it is. An important one, which has his signature at bottom right. And probably needs to be seen in full size even if that requires scrolling.

It features the shepherd who appears in so many of Schenck's works & now almost seems to the webmaster to be a long lost friend!

In building these pages, one small piece of data often leads to another! At left is what I now know to be another image of the artist - not the full image that is available but rather a selected and sharpened portion of an image which used to be available in larger size on the website of the City of Écouen, located just north of Paris, France, & now I suspect essentially a northern suburb of the City of Paris. Albert Schenck, of course, lived in Écouen for a great many years. The Ville d'Écouen website used to have a page on which a number of paintings were shown. The image of the artist did not used to be identified, but was later identified as being of Albert Schenck. The full image, which seems no longer to be Écouen available is here. Today, in Sep. 2021, a large image of the work is here, thanks to 'Kunstmatrix' & 'Peintres Ecouen', via this page.

For many years the name of the painter of the work was unknown. But his identity is now known. This 'Kunstmatrix' site, however, states clearly that such painting, a large painting indeed (4 ft. 7.12 in. (140 cm.) wide by 7 ft. 2.61 in. (220 cm.) tall, was indeed painted by Frederick Henwood (Frederick Dimble Henwood, 1864/1948), further i) that he painted it after Schenck had died using the Mulnier photograph as his basis & ii) gave it to Schenck's widow. The matter is further confirmed by this page which tells us that Henwood was one of Schenck's foreign students & offers images, not only of the painting, but also of both Henwood (black & white head image) & of Mulnier (under left column). This all explains the similarities of Mulnier's photograph & the painting of Schenck. The painting was later, I read, given to the Ville d'Écouen by Schenck's widow, along with the work La Rafale (the gust), 'in exchange' for the naming of the street on which they lived, after her husband. La Rafale is the name which today is used for what used to be named L'Echir, covered on site page 12.

Another of the images that used to be available at the Écouen site is clearly also by Schenck. The work is now identified as being L'Echir & can be seen on site page 12.

All three images of Albert Schenck, two photographic images and one painting, are essentially the same pose! Hopefully other images of the artist will emerge in the future.

I have seen a reference to the artist in German and I would like, for German speaking visitors to the site, to be able to present that text in its original German along with a translation of the text into modern English. But the webmaster speaks no German. And his efforts at translating text of languages other than English into English via WWW sites so often produces results that are amusing perhaps but of limited value. That by way of saying that a German text is shown here. I do not know enough German to tell you accurately what it in fact is, when it was published & who wrote it. If you can help in that regard, your assistance would be appreciated.

The Mar. 1877 issue of 'Harper's New Monthly Magazine', has at page 496 a brief reference to the artist, but the few words are of considerable interest. 'Schenck was a wine-merchant at Oporto. He sold out his wine vaults, came to Paris, and became an artist of merit.' The entire article in which those words appear was available at the wonderful Cornell University site, available here. (Search for Schenck, journals, Benjamin S. G. W. 'Contemporary Art in France'). But I cannot find it there now.

The National Gallery of Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia, believe that the artist lived in France from c 1857 to his date of death. Perdus clearly means the work known with the English title of Lost. 

There does seem to be confusion as to the artist's nationality. Many listings state he was Danish, or German, both of which I believe to be wrong having read the words elsewhere on this page. I believe he chose to become & did become a citizen of France.

There is a little information about Écouen, where the artist spent most of his life, on site page 04.

In this site, I will put the titles of the Schenck paintings in bold text, to aid the visitor in his or her search for a specific work. But only where the name appears in my own text since it is inappropriate, I believe, that I alter text where I am quoting the exact original source.

I find it confusing that the artist can be known by so many names. To some he is Albert, to others Albrecht, to others AFA & so on. It would appear that the originals of some Schenck works are located as follows:

1. Daims Dans La Neige, an 1866 oil painting, in the Lille, France, Musée des beaux-arts. The word "daims" means a fallow deer.
2. Le Reveil des Moutons, an 1865 oil painting, in the Bordeaux, France, Musée des beaux-arts. "Reveil" means "awakening". See this site page. It would seem to be the painting referred to in the above 1884 text.
3. Troupeau de Moutons En Fuite, an 1875 sketch? in brown ink, in the Paris, France, Musée du Louvre. That listing refers to Leon Bonnet and he is I believe the artist 'after Schenck'. The word "troupeau" means a flock. "Moutons" are sheep. And "en fuite" means, in flight or running away.

It is possible that images of items 1 & 3 above are available through that link. But I was not able to find them, if they are there.

Values? 'Artcult.com' used to describe the market for Schenck's work as being "Uneven. Between $5,000 and $13,000". They too said he was Danish. I presume that those were U.S. dollars.

What would our artist have thought about these pages dedicated to his life's work? Over 100 years ago, it would all have been beyond his wildest imagination, I am quite sure!

This page will then expand as I introduce additional data that interests me & may well interest you also. But a reminder as always. This page and the site to which the above link takes you, are designed for a 1024 x 768 screen setting.

And some of items that probably would, if available, add to my limited body of knowledge of the artist. I do not really want the following, per se. Just whatever new data that they might prove to contain. If you could help in any way, drop me a line.

Data sought