(1820 - 1895)
Sir George Scharf was born in London; the son of artist George Johann Scharf. He studied under his father, before entering the Royal Academy Schools. After accompanying Charles Fellows to Asia Minor in 1840, his drawings were published as ‘Lycia, Caria, Lydia’ (1847). He illustrated numerous books on classical antiquities and created the Greek, Roman and Pompeian Courts for the Crystal Palace at Sydenham in 1854. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (1852) and catalogued the Society’s pictures. In 1857 he was appointed Secretary to the Art Treasures Exhibition, Manchester. Scharf became the recognised authority on historical portraiture, serving as Director of the National Portrait Gallery from 1857 for some 40 years.
