Ernst Kirchbach

He studied at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts with Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, a painter of Biblical subjects.

Another of his students, the history painter Pedro Lira, would later write that he was good at drawing, but noticeably deficient at painting, and prone to fits of anger.

Regardless of these opinions, it is a fact that, during his administration, only two students, Cosme San Martín and Pedro León Carmona (1853-1899), were able to qualify for scholarships to study in Europe.

In addition to his work at the Academia, he designed a ceiling for the Municipal Theater, which was being rebuilt after a fire, and painted portraits of two Chilean presidents.

He was in poor health when his contract expired in 1875, so he returned to Germany and was succeeded by a painter of Italian origin, Juan Mochi.