He was originally a wood carver in Klagenfurt then, in 1838, thanks to the patronage of a local nobleman, he was able to go to Vienna, where he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts.

This was followed by many unsettled years of wandering, during which he worked on commissions, public and private, in numerous European cities.

He also began collecting various artifacts; including cabinets, Limoges enamels, carpets, embroidery, metal, glass, and copper engravings.

Although he showed great moderation when it came to his physical needs, this obsessive collecting led to his financial situation becoming comparably disordered.

Deeply in debt, he was rescued by a group of art lovers who ordered his affairs and sold the largest part of his property.