When at the age of 17 his talent was discovered by Diderich Maria Aall, he became a pupil at Wilhelm von Hannos drawing school in Christiania (now Oslo).

However, in 1879 Diderich Aall could no longer manage to support him, so Kittelsen had to earn his money as a draftsman for German newspapers and magazines.

[2] In 1882, Kittelsen was granted a state scholarship to study in Paris, though he would return to Munich at his own expense by the following year.

Musician Phil Elverum named the tenth song on his 2017 album A Crow Looked at Me after Kittelesen's painting "Soria Moria" specifically, using it as an illustration of his grief.

Kittelsen's 160th birthday was celebrated in a Google doodle on 27 April 2017, giving him some exposure outside of Norway.