He was the son of illustrator George Johann Scharf and brother to Sir George Scharf, the first director of the National Portrait Gallery in London. Scharf was born in London, England in 1822 to Elizabeth and George Scharf. He trained as an artist, and most likely studied under his father along with his brother, George.
He went on the stage and for a few years he acted with some success in England in Shakespearean plays. On June 6, 1848, Scharf performed with the Amateurs in Birmingham as Master Matthew in "Every Manitoba in his Humour". At some point, Scharf moved to the United States and settled in New York, for on August 19, 1850, he played Moses in The School for Scandal in New York city,
Henry Scharf left the stage in 1852 and became a professor of elocution and anatomical drawing at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and remained employed in Virginia for twenty five years.
This following entry regarding Scharf"s drawings was made in a history of the University of Virginia:
years, and "accumulated an unequalled collection of plates, executed with an exquisite truth to nature, making them invaluable." These rare plates, on which at least $3000 had been expended, were unfortunately destroyed in the fire that consumed the interior of the Medical
Hall about 1886.
Scharf also taught at the Virginia Female Institute, which opened on January 1, 1844 in Staunton. Known as Professor Scharf, he attended a meeting as Instructor of Elocution in early February, 1872.
Scharf returned to the stage from May 5 through May 10, 1884, at the National Theatre (Washington, District of Columbia), where he was cast in "Dewdrop," a romantic comedy by Con.T. Murphy and Civil Engineer Callahan, which starred Mission Lizzie Evans. Almost bald and stoutly built towards the end of his life, his last role was as an old gentleman in "Fogg"s Ferry".
He arrived in New York penniless early in June 1887.
In July, after borrowing $30 to purchase a suit of clothes, he disappeared. Scharf had a bad heart and it was conjectured that he had died at the age of sixty-five.
Henry Scharf made his London debut in November 1844 as a member of Samuel Phelps"s company at Sadler"s Wells, where Phelps had produced King John a month or two earlier. Around 1882-1883 he became a member of a travelling dramatic company for four or five seasons, and towards the end of his career he played "leading old men parts" in Mission Lizzie Evans"s Company.
