Charles A. A. Dellschau Prussian, 1830-1923

Born in Brandenburg, Prussia, Charles A. A. Dellschau immigrated to the United States in 1850, eventually settling in Galveston, Texas. He is believed to have served in the Civil War before making his home in Richmond, Texas, where he worked as a butcher and later in the Stelzig family saddlery business in Houston.

In 1899, Dellschau, then retired, embarked on an artistic project that would consume more than two decades of his life. Initially intended as an illustrated manuscript about his experiences during the California Gold Rush, his work evolved into a remarkable series of 12 hand-bound books filled with over 2,500 intricate drawings of fantastical airships. His imaginative "Aeros" combined traditional hot air balloon designs with elaborate embellishments, collage, and handwritten text. He also incorporated “Press Blooms”—collaged pages of newspaper clippings that documented political events and technological advancements of his time.

Following Dellschau’s death in 1923, his books remained stored in the attic of his Houston home. In the 1960s, a fire led to their disposal on a sidewalk, where they were salvaged by a junk dealer. Eventually, eight volumes found their way into Texas museum collections, including the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Witte Museum, and The Menil Collection, while others entered private collections. Today, his works are held in major institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Like other visionary creators such as Adolf Wölfli, Henry Darger, and Achilles Rizzoli, Dellschau did not make art for public recognition but rather as a personal pursuit driven by an internal creative force. A dreamer and innovator, he is now recognized as one of America’s earliest documented outsider artists, his extraordinary works offering a glimpse into a world of imagination and early aeronautical fantasy.