Four years later, after completing his studies, he went to Germany to polish his skills; spending time in Düsseldorf with Peter Janssen, then moving on to Munich, where he took private lessons from Anton Ažbe and classes at the Academy of Fine Arts.

[2] When he returned to Tartu in 1903, he organized a school for young artists, wrote articles for the local newspapers, and taught at the gymnasium.

In 1919, he completed The Maiden of the Grave, was elected Chairman of the Estonian Museum Society and began working for the Ministry of Education.

In the spring of 1940, shortly before the Soviet occupation, a major exhibition of his works was held and the government declared it to be "Kristjan Raud Year".

Four years later, the (Kristjan Raud Art Award) was established by the Estonian Artists' Association in conjunction with the city of Tallinn.