David K. Rubins
Encyclopedia
David Kresz Rubins was an American sculptor and professor
. He taught at Herron School of Art
in Indianapolis and his various works adorn the Indiana State House, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the National Archives building in Washington, D.C.
and the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design
in New York. He then traveled to Europe to study in Paris, where he was awarded the Paris Prize in Sculpture. He was a fellow of the American Academy in Rome
from 1928 to 1931. Rubins had two sons, James A. Rubins and Harry Rubins. A left-wing Democrat, he was a member of the John Reed Club
and he once tried to create a teachers' union. In Rubins' later years, illness made it difficult for him to continue to work in his studio, though he still made daily trips to the Herron School. He died in New York City on Wednesday, March 6, 1985 at the age of 82. Soon after his death, donors began sending in checks to be used for a scholarship fund in his name.
to reference the scientific names of muscles/anatomy
.
in New York City. He also collaborated with Fraser on sculptures outside the United States Supreme Court Building
and the National Archives building
, including the piece "Figure On Steps".
He continued his work as a sculptor during his tenure at the Herron Art Institute and later Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. In 1944, his plaster bust Portrait of Evans Woolens was featured in the 37th Annual Exhibition of Works by Indiana Artists and he subsequently gifted it to the Indianapolis Museum of Art
. In 1962, he created the statue of Young Abe Lincoln which adorns the lawns at the Indiana State House
. In 1964, he created the bust of former governor Henry F. Schricker which resides in an alcove inside the Indiana State House. During the 1960s he also created the sculpture Stumbling Man
for a state-sponsored competition to honor the memory of Indiana coal miners. In 1979 it came to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and it was formally dedicated there in 1981.
Other examples of Rubins' sculpture include the cherub that would adorn the downtown Indianapolis L. S. Ayres building during the Christmas
season (now located in the Indiana State Museum
), the Lilly Monument at Crown Hill Cemetery
in Indianapolis, a number of commemorative plaques at Riley Hospital, a sculpture of Dr. Hahn that resides at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science
,
a bronze figure of a nude woman gifted to the IMA, a marble female figure also housed at the IMA,
a bust of Dean John Van Nuys at the IU School of Medicine, a commissioned plaque of Wilbur Peat for the IMA, and the ornamental sculpture over the truck entrances of the Federal Courts Building. His work has been shown at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art
by invitation, and the National Academy of Design and Architectural League.
and has two untitled prints at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
. He taught at Herron School of Art
Herron School of Art
Herron School of Art and Design, a school of Indiana University, was ranked 45th overall by U.S. News and World Report among graduate schools of fine arts in 2008....
in Indianapolis and his various works adorn the Indiana State House, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the National Archives building in Washington, D.C.
Personal life
David Kresz Rubins was born in Minneapolis in 1902. As a young man, he was apprenticed to James Earle Fraser before moving on to study at Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design
Beaux-Arts Institute of Design
The Beaux-Arts Institute of Design was an art and architectural school at 304 East 44th Street in Turtle Bay, Manhattan, in New York City...
in New York. He then traveled to Europe to study in Paris, where he was awarded the Paris Prize in Sculpture. He was a fellow of the American Academy in Rome
American Academy in Rome
The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo in Rome.- History :In 1893, a group of American architects, painters and sculptors met regularly while planning the fine arts section of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
from 1928 to 1931. Rubins had two sons, James A. Rubins and Harry Rubins. A left-wing Democrat, he was a member of the John Reed Club
John Reed Club
The John Reed Club was an American, semi-national, Marxist club for writers, artists, and intellectuals, named after the American journalist, activist, and poet, John Reed.-Founding:...
and he once tried to create a teachers' union. In Rubins' later years, illness made it difficult for him to continue to work in his studio, though he still made daily trips to the Herron School. He died in New York City on Wednesday, March 6, 1985 at the age of 82. Soon after his death, donors began sending in checks to be used for a scholarship fund in his name.
Academic career
He joined the faculty of the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis in 1935. While there, he taught drawing, anatomy, ceramics, and sculpture and he was director of the sculpture program for 45 years. In 1943 he served on a jury judging an Indiana state competition wherein high school students designed posters to aid in the control of cancer During his time as an academic in 1953, he authored a textbook, The Human Figure: An Anatomy for Artists, which became a standard text for art students. The text was also published in Germany After retiring as director of the sculpture program, he continued to work with the Herron School of Art as Sculptor in Residence at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.Published works
1953 - The Human Figure: An Anatomy for Artists. Rubins wrote it because it was much needed in the field. It was and is still used as a text book in many schools. Rubins used Gray's AnatomyGray's Anatomy
Gray's Anatomy is an English-language human anatomy textbook originally written by Henry Gray. The book is widely regarded as an extremely influential work on the subject, and has continued to be revised and republished from its initial publication in 1858 to the present day...
to reference the scientific names of muscles/anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
.
Work
Sculptures
Rubins worked primarily as a sculptor, and sculpture was the major thrust of his early apprenticeship under sculptor James Earle Fraser and his studies in Paris and Rome. Rubins apprenticed to Fraser for seven years and during his apprenticeship he created the drapery on Fraser's equestrian statue of Teddy Roosevelt at the American Museum of Natural HistoryAmerican Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
in New York City. He also collaborated with Fraser on sculptures outside the United States Supreme Court Building
United States Supreme Court building
The Supreme Court Building is the seat of the Supreme Court of the United States. It is situated in Washington, D.C. at 1 First Street, NE, on the block immediately east of the United States Capitol. The building is under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol. On May 4, 1987, the Supreme...
and the National Archives building
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
, including the piece "Figure On Steps".
He continued his work as a sculptor during his tenure at the Herron Art Institute and later Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. In 1944, his plaster bust Portrait of Evans Woolens was featured in the 37th Annual Exhibition of Works by Indiana Artists and he subsequently gifted it to the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis Museum of Art
The Indianapolis Museum of Art is an encyclopedic art museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The museum, which underwent a $74 million expansion in 2005, is located on a campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis, northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery.The...
. In 1962, he created the statue of Young Abe Lincoln which adorns the lawns at the Indiana State House
Indiana State House
The Indiana Statehouse is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Indiana. Housing the Indiana General Assembly, the office of the Governor of Indiana, the Supreme Court of Indiana, and other state officials, it is located in the state capital Indianapolis at 200 West Washington Street...
. In 1964, he created the bust of former governor Henry F. Schricker which resides in an alcove inside the Indiana State House. During the 1960s he also created the sculpture Stumbling Man
Stumbling Man
Stumbling Man is an outdoor sculpture by American artist David K. Rubins located on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art , which is near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The sculpture is cast bronze and is in the shape of a man crouched upon the ground.-Description:The sculpture is a...
for a state-sponsored competition to honor the memory of Indiana coal miners. In 1979 it came to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and it was formally dedicated there in 1981.
Other examples of Rubins' sculpture include the cherub that would adorn the downtown Indianapolis L. S. Ayres building during the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season (now located in the Indiana State Museum
Indiana State Museum
The Indiana State Museum is a museum located within White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The museum houses exhibits on the history of Indiana from prehistoric times up to the present day. It has one of the four IMAX theaters in the state of Indiana.-History:The museum was started...
), the Lilly Monument at Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery, located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, is the third largest non-governmental cemetery in the United States at . It contains of paved road, over 150 species of trees and plants, over 185,000 graves, and services roughly 1,500 burials per year. It sits on the highest...
in Indianapolis, a number of commemorative plaques at Riley Hospital, a sculpture of Dr. Hahn that resides at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science
Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science
The Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science is a general-interest museum located on the Ohio riverfront in downtown Evansville, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1904, it is one of Southern Indiana's most established and significant cultural institutions, with comprehensive collections in...
,
a bronze figure of a nude woman gifted to the IMA, a marble female figure also housed at the IMA,
a bust of Dean John Van Nuys at the IU School of Medicine, a commissioned plaque of Wilbur Peat for the IMA, and the ornamental sculpture over the truck entrances of the Federal Courts Building. His work has been shown at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
by invitation, and the National Academy of Design and Architectural League.
Prints
Rubins also worked in two-dimensional art. In addition to his textbook on human anatomy, he created a poster interpreting the theme "The People Are On the March" for a national war poster competition during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and has two untitled prints at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Awards
In 1924, Rubins was awarded the Paris Prize in Sculpture. In 1928, he was awarded the Prix de Rome. In 1943, his war poster won honorable mention in national competition. He was also awarded the Grant and Sculpture Award from the National Institute of Arts and Letters. In 1973, the alumni of Herron School of Art honored him with "David K. Rubins Day," including a dinner party and the announcement of two scholarships in his name. The alumni honored him again in 1978 with a special exhibition of his work. In 1983 he was one of six winners of the Indiana Arts Award given by the Indiana Arts Commission and the Indiana Advocates for the Arts.See also
- Bust of Henry F. Schricker
- Herron School of Art and Design
- Stumbling ManStumbling ManStumbling Man is an outdoor sculpture by American artist David K. Rubins located on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art , which is near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The sculpture is cast bronze and is in the shape of a man crouched upon the ground.-Description:The sculpture is a...
- Young Abe Lincoln