He was the son of a teacher and began his art studies in Geneva, then worked for two years as a jewelry enamel painter.

He began attending the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 1849 and became a member of "Malkasten" (Paintbox), a local artists' association.

[2] Eventually, he decided to devote himself to depicting peasant life, which he observed for several years by visiting the Bernese Oberland.

Initially, he focused on Switzerland, but finally decided to concentrate on the Black Forest region.

[2] He also worked as an illustrator (Der Oberhof by Karl Leberecht Immermann, Barfüßele by Berthold Auerbach, and others).