20 August 1853
Jan Volschenk was a self taught painter who specialised and excelled in the landscape genre. He found inspiration from his local surroundings of Riversdale and the Langeberg range served as the subject matter for most of his work. He held very few exhibitions during his art career. On the rare occasions that he did exhibit, these took place mostly in Cape Town and a few were held internationally as well. Though he is most famous as a painter, Volschenk has also made a contribution to natural history with his collection of more than 4000 beetle specimens. He also did a lot of heraldry work around his home town. Volschenk died in 1936 after he suffered a stroke, leaving behind his wife Helen Smalberger and nine daughters. His oldest daughter Vera followed in his footsteps and also made a name for herself as a landscape painter.
References

Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar. Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.| Berman ,E., 1994. “Jan Ernest Abraham Volschenk” from Art & Artists of South Africa. Southern Book Publishers [online] available at: https://www.arcyart.com [Accessed 12 July 2011] ,>