, ▁ 1 9 1 7 ) ▁was ▁a ▁German - born ▁painter ▁and ▁art ▁teacher ▁who ▁spent ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁America . ▁ ▁Biography ▁K oe h ler ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Hamburg ; ▁his ▁family ▁sp elled ▁their ▁name ▁Kö h ler ▁until ▁they ▁moved ▁to ▁Mil w au kee , ▁Wisconsin ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 4 . ▁There ▁he ▁attended ▁the ▁historic ▁German - English ▁Academy . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁a cademy ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁but ▁continued ▁his ▁less ons ▁with ▁the ▁school ' s ▁drawing ▁master , ▁Henry ▁Vi anden , ▁who ▁had ▁graduated ▁from ▁Mun ich ' s ▁Royal ▁Academy ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts . ▁He ▁app r entic ed ▁himself ▁to ▁a ▁l ith ography ▁firm . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁for ▁eye ▁surg ery , ▁and ▁stayed ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁l ith ograph er . ▁After ▁studying ▁drawing ▁in ▁the ▁night ▁classes ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Design , ▁K oe h ler ▁went ▁to ▁Mun ich ▁to ▁study ▁fine ▁art ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁studying ▁with ▁Karl ▁von ▁Pil oty ▁and ▁Ludwig ▁Th iers ch . ▁ ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁after ▁two ▁years ▁because ▁of ▁de ple ted ▁funds . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Mun ich ▁with ▁means ▁furn ished ▁by ▁George ▁E h ret ,