Karl Emil Döpler dJ Junge Dame auf einem Diwan

He was born into the family of Carl Emil Döpler the Elder, an artist and professor of painting, best known as the designer of the costumes for the Bayreuth Music Festival. He was interested in painting from an early age and his first drawing teacher was his father. The artist specialised in heraldic and mythological motifs, mainly from the Germanic-Scandinavian cultural tradition. He also painted portraits, landscapes and still lifes in various artistic styles. At the same time he favoured German Art Nouveau. In 1870 he entered the School of Applied Arts in Berlin, from which he graduated in 1873. He then worked as a freelance illustrator until 1876. From 1876 to 1877 he studied painting at the academy of arts in Berlin. From 1881 he was a lecturer and from 1889 professor at the art school of the Museum für angewandte Kunst in Berlin. In 1889 he was appointed chairman of the commission for the awarding of prizes for artistic sketches in competitions organised by Ludwig Stollwerck's chocolate company, Stollwerck.