Background
Launitz was born a Baltic German in Grobin, Courland, which was then part of the Russian Empire.
Launitz was born a Baltic German in Grobin, Courland, which was then part of the Russian Empire.
In 1815 he began studying jurisprudence at the University of Göttingen. He became more interested in art, however, and visited an artists colony in Rome. There he became a student of Bertel Thorvaldsen, whom he assisted in restoring the Æginetan marbles.
Launitz spent most of his adult life in Frankfurt.
He taught at the Städel in Frankfurt and the art academy in Düsseldorf. Launitz is buried in the Hauptfriedhof Frankfurt.