Henri Alexis Schaeffer was born in Paris, France, in 1900. He studied at the famous École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris, under the great master Cormon. Schaeffer’s earlier paintings consisted primarily of architectural studies of classical monuments and religious landmarks. He was a member of and exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français beginning in 1934. Schaeffer mainly painted urban Parisian scenes.

Schaeffer was a Post-Impressionist, the art movement following Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism. The style showed a greater concern for expression, structure, and form than did Impressionism. While the use of light is still important, it is strong and focused rather than soft and diffused, and the use of color is also strong and pure. Henri Alexis Schaeffer remained in Paris throughout his life and died there in 1975. The artist was a member of the Salon des Artistes Français from 1934.