Born in The Hague, Henry Scheffer relocated to France, where he established his career and became a fixture of the Parisian art scene. He was part of a prominent artistic family, including his brother, the painter Ary Scheffer, and he spent the majority of his professional life working within the French academic and Romantic circles.

His body of work primarily consists of portraits and historical subjects rendered in the stylistic conventions of the era. He is noted for his technical proficiency in capturing the likenesses of his contemporaries and scenes that reflect the aesthetic sensibilities of 19th-century European painting.

While his works continue to appear in major European auction houses, his legacy is often studied alongside his more widely recognized brother. His paintings remain a point of interest for collectors of 19th-century Old Master and Romantic-era works.