[1] [2] (Gerhard) August Schneider was born in Flekkefjord in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway.

After his father died he interrupted and ended his medicine studies, and through a competition in 1867, he won a free scholarship at Johan Fredrik Eckersberg’s School of Art in Christiania.

With a grant from Schäffer's endowment August Schneider continued his art studies at the Academy in Copenhagen, as a pupil of Frederik Vermehren from 1868 to 1870, and from 1870 until his death at age 31 the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium.

Schneider's illustrations and informative articles made him a sought-after contributor to magazines, especially Illustreret Nyhedsblad, and occasionally for Skilling-Magazin, Norsk Folkeblad, Almuevennen and Danish publication, Illustreret Tidende.

He proved himself an accomplished painter of folk life and customs, leaving a rich sketchbook.