Gulbransson, Olaf

Olaf Gulbransson, (born May 26, 1873, Christiania, Nor.—died Sept. 18, 1958, Tegernsee, W.Ger.), illustrator identified with the German satirists of the early 20th century and noted for portrait caricature. He is also important as one of the first satirists of Adolf Hitler.

Gulbransson studied at the Royal Norwegian Drawing School and worked for several Norwegian newspapers. After a visit to Paris in 1900, he returned to Oslo, where he distributed his first album, caricatures of famous Norwegians. In 1902 he moved to Munich and began his long association with Simplicissimus, a leading publication in the fertile artistic and intellectual climate of the time. There he became famous for his gently satiric caricatures executed in a sure, bold style with a minimum number of lines. He also illustrated books and released drawings in folio form.