(b Leipzig, 27 Feb 1786; d Berlin, 5 June 1870). German woodcutter, draughtsman, writer and publisher. He was taught the technique of woodcutting by his father, Johann Christoph Gubitz (1754–1826), and first exhibited prints in 1800 at an exhibition of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin. He became a member of the Akademie in 1805 and succeeded Johann Friedrich Gottlieb Unger (1753–1804) as a teacher of woodcutting and block-cutting, becoming Professor in 1812. He published several periodicals, including Der Gesellschafter (1817–1848), Das Jahrbuch der deutschen Bühnenspiele (1822–65) and the Deutscher Volkskalender (1835–69). He produced many commissioned pieces for these journals and did numerous woodcuts. Until 1829 he principally used the grain from the length of the block to produce designs in the manner of Thomas Bewick’s wood-engravings. Many of his early woodcuts look like copper engravings. From 1829 he preferred the grain from the end of the block. He also printed coloured woodcuts: one of his best-known is the portrait of Gräfin Voss (1812; Nuremberg, Ger. Nmus.; after Anton Graff) printed from eight plates. He tinted some of his woodcuts and employed crayon in others to give an appearance of drawing or watercolour. Gubitz’s interest in the medium of woodcut helped to revive the technique in Germany in the 19th century. He also wrote plays and poems and published various essays as well as his memoirs, Erlebnisse (Berlin, 1868–9). His son Anton Gubitz (1821–57) was his pupil and assistant.