Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, 1828; studied painting in Lausanne and architecture in Munich; moved to London 1851; successfully exhibited paintings at the Royal Academy; arrived in Melbourne 1855 and became involved with the publications Melbourne Punch and Illustrated Australian News; married Caroline Wilkie; introduced chromo-lithography to Victoria; was invited to join the Duke of Edinburgh on H.M.S. Galatea to sail to London in 1868; died in London 1902.