The comic artist, Rube Goldberg may be one of the best-known illustrators in American history but he was also an accomplished sculptor and engineer. The love of art Rube Goldberg developed in his early life remained with him throughout his life and led to him focusing on his sculpting work over the last ten years of his life. Trained as an engineer at UC Berkely, the man who gave his name to overcomplicated machines used by his Professor Butts character made a series of busts of his comic artist and author contemporaries in his later years.
Rube Goldberg was born in 1883 and began taking lessons in illustration as an 11-year-old before attending college to attain an engineering degree. Soon after graduating, Goldberg began working as a comic strip illustrator winning the Pulitzer Prize for his political cartoons in 1948. The artist had been a dedicated part-time sculptor throughout his life and found the time to concentrate on this medium in the 1960s when he scaled back his comic strip work. Among the work completed by Goldberg were a series of busts and sculptures featuring many of his contemporary artists which remain highly sought after. Not wishing to turn his back on his fun and anarchic background in comic strips, the San Francisco native also created a series of impressive comic sculptures showcasing his sense of humor.
Learn more on Rube Goldberg’s website
