Career
Born on 6 November 6 in Tartu, he was the thirteenth child of village farmers Susanna-Marie and January Koorti. He studied at Orge village school. During the period from 1896 to 1900 he studied at the Tartu city school.
In 1901, he participated in the German Craftsmen Society"s drawing courses.
His studies continued in Saint St. Petersburg A. Stieglitz Art School (1902–1905), where he studied painting and sculpture. During the Revolution of 1905 he left Saint St. Petersburg, and later moved to Estonia to Finland, and from there to Paris.
