Son of a Gdańsk mearchant. Send to Berlin to practice his mearchant skills in 1743, but against his father will, gave it up and became an artist. (Painter, engraver, drawing artist and caricaturist). Polish themes dominate his art. He was given a name of "Hogarth of Berlin" due to his satirical interpretation of reality in his works. In 1797 became director of Berlin Academy of Fine Arts.