Johann Schönberg

Schönberg provided illustrations for many publications, starting in his native Austria and then moving further afield to Germany, France, and England. Among the papers he illustrated for were:

• Über Land und Meer (Stuttgart)[1] This was a Hallberger publication like Illustrirte Welt, but they did not publish the same material.[8]
• Illustrirte Zeitung (Leipzig)[2]
• Daheim[2]
• Illustrierte Welt[2]
• Le Monde Illustré[2]
• Illustrated London News Schönberg first works for the paper in 1866.[9] He was appointed as their Special Artist in Romania in 1877 during the Romanian War of Independence. He remained on the staff of the newspaper for the next 22 years, until he went to Pretoria for The Sphere in 1899.[10] He returned to the Illustrated London News after returning from Pretoria.[11]
• The Sphere[11]

The following illustrations were drawn or painted by Schönberg during different military campaigns. They all show examples of military medicine as the illustrations are by courtesy of the Wellcome Collection.

• 
  Sick and wounded soldiers at Ak Palanka during the Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885
• 
  The Quarantine House for Egyptian soldiers suffering from the plague at Port Said during the British Conquest of Egypt (1882)
• 
  Arrival of wounded from Slivnitza at Belgrade Railway station during the Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885
• 
  Wounded Chinese prisoners getting medical treatment at Pyongyang, Korea, during the first Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895)

Schönberg was a correspondent as well as an artist and sent reports and conducted interviews, in addition to sending sketches of the action or of the aftermath of war. Among the conflicts and disasters he covered were:

• The American Civil War (12 April 1861 – 9 May 1865). Schönberg told a Canadian reporter in a 1901 interview, while he was on his way back from the Boxer rebellion via Vancouver,[note 4][note 5] that his first experience in the field was in 1863 when he drew military illustrations of the Civil War.[3]
• The Third Italian War of Independence (20 June 1866 – 12 August 1866). Schönberg was a soldier in the Austrian ranks for this war, but also did some illustration.[3]
• The Austro-Prussian War (14 June – 22 July 1866). This was the first work he did for the Illustrated London News.[11] He was also in the ranks of the Austrian Army for this conflict.[3]
• The Franco-Prussian War (19 July 1870 – 28 January 1871). He later contributed to a book on the campaign.[2]
• The Prusso-Austrian War (14 June – 22 July 1855) where he produced drawings for the Illustrated London News, his first work for that paper.[11]
• The Serbo-Turkish War (30 June 1876 – 28 February 1877). This was the first of two wars that established Serbia as an independent state. In the lull between the two wars, Schönberg covered the tension in Bulgaria as the Special Artist for the Illustrated London News.[4]
• Russo-Turkish War otherwise known as the Romanian War of Independence (24 April 1877 – 3 March 1878). Schönberg covered this war in the interlude between the two Serbian wars as the Special Artist for the Illustrated London News.[12] As a result of his work on this war, Prince Carol I of Romania asked him to paint six large canvases inspired by the war with the topics selected by the Prince. The first painting was ready in 1891 and it was 1903 before the sixth was handed over.
• The Russo-Turkish War (13 December 1877 – 5 February 1878). This was effectively a continuation of the (1876–1877) conflict.[4]
• The flooding of Szegedin, Hungary in 1879, a disaster which destroyed over 90% of the houses.[13]
• The British Conquest of Egypt (1882) Egyptian campaign of July–September 1882.[4]
• The Serbo-Bulgarian War (14–28 November 1885)
• The cholera epidemic in Hamburg in 1892 when over 8,000 died.[14]
• The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895)
• The Second Boer War (11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902). As war was looming in 1899, the Editor of The Sphere asked Schönberg to travel to Pretoria, South Africa as their clandestine correspondent, nominally working for a German newspaper. He wanted him to cover the conflict from the Boer side. On arrival in Durban, he sought permission to travel on to Lourenço Marques, now Maputo, from where a railway served Pretoria. The British officer in charge of onward transport did not believe his story and thinking that he was a German officer come to help the Boers, gave him 24 hours to leave the Colony. He did so, but in a French steamer that dropped him in Maputo.[15] He interviewed Joubert and made many sketches of the campaign, one even showing the prison camp for captured British officers.[16] His time with the Boers came to an end when The Sphere blew his cover by sending him a telegram saying say that London would like him to remain.[15] He was slightly wounded by a shell during the campaign.[17]
• The Boxer rebellion or Yihetuan Movement (2 November 1899 – 7 September 1901). Schönberg was one of only ten war correspondents awarded the China War Medal after this campaign.[11] However, he arrived in Beijing long after the fighting had finished.[18]Schönberg was originally accredited to the Japanese Army, but on arrival in China he fell in with a Major Scott in charge if Indian Troops, with Baluchi, Sikh, and Parthan contingents. He abandoned his accreditation to the Japanese and stayed with Major Scott. Schönberg was disgusted with the wanton killings by Allied troops, with the Russian being the worst, ably assisted by the Germans and the French. He also reproved the acts of pillage by the Allied troops, with the destruction of the Pekin conservatory, founded by the Jesuits three centuries earlier, being one of the worst examples.[3]

In addition to his illustrations for non-fiction works such as Alexander Patuzzi's History of the Popes, and Ludwig von Alvensleben's General History of the World, Schönberg illustrated books for a wide range of authors, mainly for children's fiction. Among the authors whose work he illustrated were:

• Elbridge S. Brooks, a prolific author who wrote both serialised fiction, novels, and non-fiction for children
• Harry Collingwood, a writer of boys' adventure fiction, usually in a nautical setting
• Edward S. Ellis, a prolific American author of adventure fiction
• George Manville Fenn, who wrote mainly for young adults
• Henry Frith, a prolific Irish author and the English translator for many of Jules Verne's novels
• John Percy Groves, a soldier who wrote stirring stories for boys
• G. A. Henty, a prolific writer of boy's adventure fiction, often set in a historical context
• Georgina Norway, who wrote adventure fiction for children as "G. Norway"

Given his Austrian roots, Schönberg was probably a good choice for the illustration of The Lion of the North : a tale of the times of Gustavus Adolphus and the wars of religion by G. A. Henty. Schönberg did twelve full-page illustrations as line-and-wash drawings reproduced by black line and sepia tint plates.[19] Newbolt notes that Schönberg's work was limited by the quality of available processes and sometimes by the printer's choice of cheap paper.[10]

• 
  Colonel Munro seeks to enlist Nigel Graeme and his nephew
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  Malcolm's courage and humanity at the battle of Schiefelbrune
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  Colonel Munro presents Malcolm to the King
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  Malcolm counsels the townspeople of Mansfield to resistance
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  Malcolm and Grent cross the Rhine at midnight
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  Malcolm fired at one of the natives and then with a loud shout dashed forward
• 
  The last of the siege of the church-tower
• 
  Death of Gustavus Adolphus at Lutzen
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  Malcolm receives Lady Hilda's appeal for help
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  A plan proposed for Thekla's safety
• 
  Malcolm overpowered by treachery at the banquet
• 
  Thekla advanced and laid her hand in Malcolm's

Schönberg illustrated another Henty tale of trouble on the continent. This time it was In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy, (1888), London, Blackie, a story about the French Revolution. Schönberg did eight full-page wash-drawings which were reproduced by halftone blocks printed in black on coated paper. The halftone blocks were fine-screen, almost the first time such blocks were used in the UK. A lot of handwork and deep-etching was done on the blocks to accentuate highlight and avoid a flat result. [20] Newbolt further notes that examination with a glass shows that Blackie had printing problems with these very fine screens, which tended to get clogged by dust and ink.

• 
  Harry saves the girls from the mad dog
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  The Marquis returns to his family
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  The wreck of the Marquis's mansion
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  Victor de Gisons struck down by a friendly blow
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  Robespierre saved from the assassins
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  Citizen Lebat takes Marie out of prison
• 
  The journey to Nantes
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  Jeanne and Virginie rescued from the massacre