Karl Gussow (25 February 1843, Havelberg – 27 March 1907, Munich) was a German painter and university professor.

This led to studying the Dutch Masters in the studios of the history and genre painter, Arthur von Ramberg.

In 1867, after leaving Pauwels' studio, he went to Munich to continue his studies with Karl von Piloty, but was there for only a short time before going to Italy, then returning to Weimar.

This attracted some positive critical attention, which led Count Stanislaus von Kalckreuth, a well known landscape painter, to offer him a professorship at the art school.

Anton von Werner, the Director of the Berlin Academy, said that "the exact reproduction of nature" was Gussow's ideal.