Born in Plumenau, Austria, Henry Richter was best known for his California and desert landscapes painted in oil and watercolor. He also painted some European scenes and only a few portraits.

He emigrated to the United States in 1887, settling first in Chicago and receiving little art instruction as a youth. As a self-taught painter, he eventually went to work for a commercial art company and took classes at the Art Institute of Chicago. He took private instruction under E.A. Burbank and began exhibiting his work at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1904. He also worked as a commercial artist. In 1911, he was asked to teach at the Western State Teachers College in Gunnison, Colorado. He stayed there for eight years taking a break to st...