Until 1835 he studied at the Academy of Arts in Berlin with Johann CH Kretschmer. He created works under the influence of Franz Krüger. In the years 1822 - 1840 he had his works exhibit at the Academy. To Stettin (now Szczetin in Poland) he came in 1834. In the " new general Artists Lexicon " of 1839 ( by Georg Kaspar Nagler and edited in Munich by EA Fleischmann ) we can find the following entry in Part 7 on page 144 :

"..Kottwitz , E. , Painters in Stettin , a now living artist . It has portraits of his hand.."

In Szczecin he exhibited his paintings in the years 1835-1853 .

He worked also in Greifswald ( 1834-44 ) and in Wolgast ( 1844). Among his numerous works, the portraits of General von Kleist - Rüchel, General Sohr, by Brigadier General of Neindorf as well as painter T. Hildebrandt are best known. He also copied the paintings of other artists ( among others by Schroter and T. Hase man ). Began to supplant the art of painting than photography ( especially in the area of the portrait ), he was made aware of this new branch of art. In 1854 he opened his own photo studio, one of the first in Szczecin. ( Source: Internet Zaklady fotograficzne Stettin ).