The Life and Career of Charles Schenckbecher
Born in Niedernai, France, Charles Schenckbecher was a French Alsatian painter. His early life was shaped by his education at the school in Obernai, which led him to become a teacher in Rosheim in 1908. He pursued formal artistic training at the school of decorative arts in Strasbourg during 1912 and 1913, eventually serving as a drawing professor. During the war, he served in the German army as a nurse in a field hospital near Verdun. Following the conflict, he exhibited his work at the Maison d'art alsacienne in Rosheim, featuring a canvas painted in Saverne that was acquired by the museum in Strasbourg.
Schenckbecher was a co-founder of the "groupe de mai" in 1919 and became a member of the Salon d'automne in 1920. His professional roles included teaching drawing and mathematics at the Collège d'Obernai and later at the Lycée Kléber in Strasbourg. In 1927, he contributed to the production of Le Mystère de Joseph, creating the poster, scenery, and costumes for a production staged in Paris. He was named an officier d'académie in 1929 and taught at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris in 1939. He returned to his post at Lycée Kléber before passing away in Obernai.
Artistic Legacy and Collections
The works of Charles Schenckbecher are preserved in several notable institutions. His artistic output is represented in the following collections:
