George Scharf

Sir George Scarf (December 16, 1820 - April 19, 1895) was an English art historian, illustrator and director of the National Portrait Gallery. Scarf was born in St. Martin's 3rd lane in London, in the family of the son of the Bavarian painter George Johann Scharf and older brother Henry Scharf, actor and illustrator. He was educated at the University College school, and after studying with his father and receiving medals from the Society of Arts, he entered the Royal Academy schools in 1838. In 1840, Charles Fellows invited Scarf to join him during his second trip to Asia Minor and spent some time in Italy along the way. Three years later, he again visited Asia Minor as a draftsman. He made drawings of species and antiquities from Lycia, Caria and Lydia, which are now in the British Museum. A selection of these illustrations with the text Fellows was published in 1847.