Inspirational Quotes by Al Hirschfeld (American Caricaturist)

Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003,) fully Albert Hirschfeld, was an American caricature artist. One of the most influential figures in contemporary drawing and caricature, he was celebrated for his black and white portraits in The New York Times, portraying show-business celebrities and Broadway stars.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hirschfeld moved with his family to New York City when he was 11, and, at age 17, he went to work as the art director of Selznick Studios in the city’s Astoria district. In the 1920s, he studied painting, drawing, and sculpture in Paris and London.

In 1925, a Hirschfeld caricature of the French dramatist Sacha Guitry drawn on a theatre playbill was reproduced by The New York Herald Tribune. His work quickly became popular and was published in several New York newspapers. In 1929, he agreed with The New York Times to use his theatre caricatures, and his drawings appeared in the paper until his death. Hirschfeld’s caricatures were noted for their wit.

In the 1930s, Hirschfeld took a long trip to the Far East, where Japanese and Javanese art is said to have influenced his graphic style. Following the birth of his daughter, Nina, in 1947, Hirschfeld began mentioning next to his signature a tally of the times that he had worked Nina’s name into the drawing.

In the 1940s, Hirschfeld illustrated books by such authors as S. J. Perelman, Fred Allen, and Brooks Atkinson. He also wrote and illustrated books such as Show Business is No Business (1951) and Hirschfeld by Hirschfeld (1979.)

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