Jacob Breda Bull

Who was Jacob Breda Bull?

Jacob Breda Bull was a Norwegian author.

Bull is best known for the novel Vesleblakken and for other novels and stories about descriptions of folk life in the Østerdalen valley. He also wrote historical novels, contemporary novels and poetry. Bull was born in Rendalen, the son of the priest Matthias Bull and Henriette Magrethe Breda. As a student he received the university grade “haud laudibilis” in May 1876, and then served a year as a teacher at Nickelsen’s Girl’s School in Kristiania. In April 1878 he founded the newspaper Dagen and subsequently earned his living as a journalist. He served as leader of the Norwegian Authors' Union from 1900 to 1903.

He married Gunvor Sophie Rytter Saws on 29 December 1876, and was married a second time with Anna Maria Augusta Bergløf on 9 January 1883. He was the father of Olaf Bull and grandfather of Jan Bull, both poets.

The old rectory in Rendalen, where he grew up, is now Bull's Museum, a biographical and cultural history museum. Rendalen municipality has since 1997 yearly awarded Vesleblakkenprisen, named after one of Bull's work, to individuals or organizations who have excelled in altruistic work.