He studied in Darmstadt with the landscape painter,
Johann Georg Primavesi. In 1818, he took an extended study trip throughout Switzerland. His drawings and engravings from that trip were published in
Bern by , under the title
Souvenirs Suisse. A scholarship from the
Grand Duchy of Hesse enabled him to study in Italy. In 1823, he and his friend, the painter
Ernst Fries, went to Rome, where he made the acquaintance of
Ludwig Richter. He and Richter hiked together through the
Monti Sabini and reached
Naples in 1825. Shortly after, he climbed
Vesuvius, with a team consisting of Richter,
Carl Götzloff, , and several other artists. Back in Rome, he became a sought-after painter of landscapes and
vedute. During his five years in Italy, he developed a free style that focused on nature. He returned to Germany with over 400 sheets of sketches, drawings and watercolors, many of which he later rendered in oil. in 1828, he became a
court painter, primarily for the theatre. He also took students, including
August Weber and
August Becker. Two years later, he married Philippine Catharina Cramer; daughter of the businessman, Johann Christoph Cramer. They had eight children. In 1833, he was one of the co-founders of the (artists' association). He also continued to travel, notably through the
Black Forest to Switzerland with
Johann Wilhelm Schirmer. In 1843, he went to the
Bavarian Alps and the
Salzkammergut by way of Munich. On his travels he created numerous studies in oil with daily notes. == Sources ==