[1] He moved up in the ranks quickly, becoming a full Lieutenant in 1886, but resigned the following year because he refused to help support Károly Khuen-Héderváry's policy of Magyarization.

After Müller's death in 1892, he returned to Zagreb and participated in decorating the "Pompeian Room" at the local offices of the "Department of Education and Religious Affairs" (now occupied by the "Institute for Croatian History [hr]").

[1] This was followed by more studies in Munich, with Carl von Marr, after which he settled in Zagreb, joining the circle of painters who gathered around Vlaho Bukovac.

[citation needed] This led to a conflict that caused him to leave Zagreb, in 1895, taking a job as a drawing teacher in Ogulin.

In 1902, he left Zagreb again; this time largely for economic reasons, and traveled to America with fellow painter Robert Auer.