Henri Adolphe Schaep

Henri Adolphe Schaep or Hendrik Adolf Schaep (3 January 1826, in Mechelen – 6 June 1870, in Antwerp) was a Belgian painter, draughtsman and military officer. He is best known for his marines but also painted landscapes. Schaep was an important representative of the Romantic-Realist movement in Belgian marine painting.

Henri Adolphe Schaep was born in Mechelen as the son of Franciscus, a baker, and Maria-Theresia Wauters. The family moved to Antwerp in 1828. Henri Adolphe commenced his artistic studies at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts in 1838. His studies overlapped with those of Egide Linnig, another future marine painter who had commenced his studies at the Academy in 1834.

Schaep did not only study art but simultaneously developed a career as a military officer. This career path brought him to various locations: he was a lieutenant in Ghent in 1840, he was based in Antwerp from 1846 to 1849, in 1849 he was in Ostend, in 1855 he was a captain in Mechelen, in 1857 he was based in Liege, in 1861 he was back in Antwerp and in 1862 in Brussels.

From the 1840s onwards, Schaep started participating in the triennial salons of Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and the provincial capitals of Belgium. His contribution to the Antwerp salon of 1840 of the marine painting Palisade at the launch of a ship in Antwerp was likely his first participation in a salon. He also presented compositions called Marine to the Brussels salon in 1848 and the Antwerp salon in 1849.

Schaep was active as a part-time painter. He was also recognised as a geologist and paleontologist.

Schaep died in Antwerp on 6 June 1870.

Henri Adolphe Schaep was mainly a painter of marines although he also painted landscapes. The Scheldt in Antwerp up to its estuary was one of his main sources of inspiration although he painted some scenes of the Thames. He is reported to have painted some kermesse scenes. He also collaborated with the Dutch landscape painter Nicolaas Johannes Roosenboom.

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