He was born in Nusse. His father, Joachim Hermann Carstens, was a doctor. He came from a long line of professionals, established by the jurist, Joachim Carstens [de] in the 17th century.
He studied at the Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School, Weimar, with the genre painter Paul Thumann and the history painter Ferdinand Pauwels, after which he made study trips to Belgium and the Netherlands. Later, he was attracted to the growing art scene in Munich, and decided to settle there; having several showings at the Glaspalast and becoming a member of the Künstlergesellschaft Allotria [de], where he became an associate of Franz von Lenbach and other painters who supported the traditional artistic styles. He always remained aloof from the Secession. Occasionally, he exhibited with the Berliner Kunstausstellung.
He died in Pasing in 1908. His works are mostly Classical in tone and his still-lifes were generally his most popular works.
