Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

Home 

Carl Hentschel

Nationality: Russian
Date of birth: 1864.03.27
Place of birth: Lods, Russian Poland
Date of death: 1930.01.09
Category: etcher

Identity:

Carl's father, August Hentschel (b. 1833), was a photographer, a naturalised American married to Olga Hentschel (b. 1844). All three were born in Russia and in 1881 were living at 166 Camden Road, London.

Life:

Carl Hentschel was a photo-etcher, engraver and lithographer. He invented the Hetschell colourtype process, a revolution in newspaper illustration. Whistler knew him about 1898 (he spells the name 'Henschell'). He is said to be the original of the character named 'Harris' in Jerome's Three Men in a boat.

Bibliography:

UK census 1881, from http://www.familysearch.org (accessed 2004); Kelly's London Postal Directory, London, 1893; 'Mr. Carl Hentschel', Times, London, 10 January 1930, p. 14.