He was the youngest son of an evangelical pastor. He was originally trained to be a notary in Herrenberg, but later began studying art in Stuttgart. In 1856, he continued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich.[1] There, he became a master student of the history painter, Carl von Piloty.
In 1866, he moved to Düsseldorf, where he would remain for the rest of his life. His sons, Friedrich (1874-1954) and Hans (1883-1922) also became painters. His other son, Martin (1877-1945), was an evangelical pastor in Haigerloch, but was also an amateur watercolorist.[2]