Eugen Dücker was born to Eduard Dücker (1813-1886), a master carpenter, and his wife Amalie Fischer (1810-1880). Belonging to the German-Baltic Dücker lineage from the Baltic Sea island of Ösel, he had a natural inclination towards art. His sister, Marie Dücker, not only shared his passion but also learned from him, evolving into a painter herself.
Initially, Eugen’s journey into the world of art started with Friedrich Sigismund Stern, from whom he took drawing lessons. The real transformation occurred when he entered the Academy in St. Petersburg in 1858. He embarked on a journey of sculpture under the guidance of David Jensen (1816-1902). However, it was under Ssokrat Maximowitsch Vorobjeff (1817-1888) that he discovered his true calling: landscape painting.
With a travel grant in his pocket, Eugen spent six years traversing Europe. His quest for knowledge took him to Karlsruhe, where he studied under Karl Friedrich Lessing, and later to Munich. By 1864, Düsseldorf became his home. Here, he stepped into the shoes of Oswald Achenbach in 1872, taking the helm of teaching landscape painting at the prestigious Düsseldorf Art Academy.
