More than 40 public and private buildings in Riga stand as testament to the career of Baltic German architect Heinrich Scheel. Throughout a professional life that spanned the mid-19th to the early 20th century, he navigated the transition from classical academic training to the decorative innovations of the Art Nouveau movement while maintaining a German and Russian Empire citizenship.
Early Career and Training
Born in Hamburg in 1829, Scheel moved to pursue professional studies at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg in 1847. Upon his graduation in 1851, he secured a position as an assistant to Ludwig Bohnstedt, a professor at the academy. This association led to early supervisory roles on high-profile projects, including the construction of the Riga Great Guild in 1853 under architect Karl Beine. Between 1860 and 1862, he collaborated with Friedrich Hess to oversee the construction of the First Riga German Theater, a project designed by Bohnstedt.
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Although he served as a lecturer at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts beginning in 1862, his primary professional focus remained in Riga. His output included work in Ventspils and across Estonia, alongside extensive restoration projects within the rooms of the Jelgava Palace. In 1899, he established the building office Scheel & Scheefel in partnership with Friedrich Scheefel. This firm emerged as a notable early practitioner of Art Nouveau in the region.
Architectural Style and Recognition
Scheel primarily practiced within the framework of eclecticism. His designs frequently utilized Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Gothic forms, often blending elements from both traditions to satisfy the requirements of the era. His professional contributions were formally recognized in 1882 with the awarding of the Order of Saint Anna, 2nd class. He continued his practice until his death in Riga on 13 April 1909, leaving behind a substantial urban footprint before his burial at the Great Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1829, Hamburg
- Died: 1909, Riga
- Education: Imperial Academy of Arts
- Movement: Eclecticism
- Citizenship: Germany, Russian Empire
- Award: Order of Saint Anna, 2nd class (1882)
- Professional office: Scheel & Scheefel
Questions readers ask
What stylistic movements did Heinrich Scheel utilize?
He worked primarily in eclecticism, employing Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Gothic forms, and was later an early adopter of Art Nouveau.
Where is Heinrich Scheel buried?
He is buried at the Great Cemetery in Riga.
Achievements
- Order of Saint Anna, 2nd class
- Movement: eclecticism
- Trained at Imperial Academy of Arts
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