About author:

Author name: Alexander Koester.
(1864, Bergneustadt , Germany – 1932, München, Germany). In accordance with his parents’ wishes Alexander Koester became a trainee apothecary in Wintzheim near Colmar in 1882. Already as a student, Koester earned his livelihood with portrait painting commissions. After finishing his studies, Koester moved to Klausen where the new working conditions led him to great productivity. He did numerous oil paintings directly from nature. In 1904 Koester was awarded the gold medal at the world fair in St Louis for his painting ‘Enten’. Koester was awarded another gold medal by prince regent Luitpold of Bavaria for the painting ‘Dem Ufer zu’.
Reference:
http://www.allartclassic.com/author_biography.php?p_number=209