In 1843 he fulfilled his wish to come to Stockholm and study at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts.

In the autumn of 1851, he went to the Düsseldorf Academy, where first Theodor Hildebrandt and then later, Adolph Tidemand became his teachers.

He painted altarpieces in several Småland churches, including at Stenbrohult in Älmhult and Gårdsby in Växjö.

He studied with French history painter Thomas Couture (1815–1879) for one and a half years, made a short stop in Düsseldorf, and in the autumn of 1858 he went to Rome.

He also gave private lessons to Swedish artists including Peter Eskilsson (1820-1872), Augusta Jensen (1858-1936) and his nephew Henrik Nordenberg (1857-1928).