Birger Simonsson

Birger Jörgen Simonsson (3 March 1883, Uddevalla – 11 October 1938, Stockholm) was a Swedish painter, illustrator and professor of landscape painting.

He was the founder of a short-lived young artists' group called "De Unga [sv]" which was noted for expressly prohibiting women from becoming members.

Simonsson returned to Sweden in 1905, to take part in exhibitions of the Konstnärsförbundet, but was dissatisfied with what he saw and joined Sørensen in Paris, where they began studying together at the Académie Colarossi.

[2] In Sweden, De Unga had some successes at staging exhibitions, but essentially ceased to exist in 1911, as Simonsson's interest waned and he spent much of his time out painting with Sørensen.

[2] In 1912, he decided to settle in Gothenburg, where he was able to find a patron, Charlotte Mannheimer, who supported young artists and helped them make contacts with potential buyers.