This exhibition at the Von der Heydt-Museum in Wuppertal is dedicated to the largely forgotten artist Peter Schenck. Born in Elberfeld (now Wuppertal) and baptized on December 26, 1660, Schenck was a prominent printmaker, publisher, and court engraver during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He is celebrated for his portraits, maps, and cityscapes, and is even considered a co-inventor of color print.
Despite being often classified as a Dutch artist in art history, Schenck identified himself as an “Elberfelder Künstler.” He apprenticed in Amsterdam under Gerard Valck and later, along with his teacher and brother-in-law, took over the art publishing house J. Jansen. Schenck was an innovator in color printing, collaborating with Johannes Teyler to produce color prints well before they became widespread. His mezzotints, widely distributed through modern reproduction techniques, brought him considerable financial success.
The exhibition, curated by Anna Storm, aims to reintroduce Schenck’s significant contributions to the public. It features a diverse collection of his works, including landscapes, architectural drawings, portraits, and mythological scenes, displayed alongside pieces by his contemporaries to provide context.