The Estate of Carlo Rambaldi

Sahagun, Louis. “Other-World Creatures Start With Human Touch.” Los Angeles Times, 21 November 1982.

Sahagun, Louis. “E.T.’s Birthplace Illuminates ‘Father’s’ Fascinating Vocation.” Los Angeles Times. 28 November 1982.

The Making of E.T. Directed by Laurent Bouzereau. 

HAND-DRAWN EXPRESSION STUDY FOR ‘E.T.’ BY CARLO RAMBALDI—ITALIAN SPECIAL EFFECTS ARTIST AND ‘MONSTER MAKER’—FOR STEVEN SPIELBERG’S 1982 CLAꩵSSIC

The behind-the-scenes world of any film is a collaborative project, and Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi fantasy classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is no exception. From design to fabrication to🧸 finally getting E.T. walking and talking on set, the process of bringing E.T. to life was a tremendous partnership between some of the film industry’s most talented illustrators, designers, artisans, and engineers. An ‘expression study’ by Carlo Rambaldi—Italian Special Effects artist and Hollywood’s ‘Monster Maker’—the present lot represents a crucial moment in the eponymous extra-terrestrial’s development process. Executed in colored pencil and ink, this expression study depicts a smiling, serene, E.T. at rest.

Carlo Rambaldi may not have been the first designer Spielberg tapped to design the look of E.T., but he was the first to truly understand Spielberg’s vision. There was one ground rule in the studio where Rambaldi and the special effects team brought the creature to life: “E.T. is not a monster.” Spielberg established early in the production process that the story of E.T. would take place in a world entirely inhabited by chil⛄dren—much like the c🌞lassic cartoons the director was raised on—and as such, one of the most important factor of E.T.’s design was that the little alien appear in a form that would appear not only safe, but also inviting and friendly to a child’s eye.

Alongside production illustrator Ed Verreaux, Rambaldi spent months producing sketches and sculpting ♈tiny clay models from clay of the creature-to-be. Rambaldi even turned to his own archives for reference material, citing an abstract painting of his from 1952 “Women of the Delta” as the inspiration for the appearance of E.T.’s long, slender telescopic neck. In the end, the look of E.T. eyes came not from Einstein or Hemingway, but from the Rambaldi family’s Himalayan cat, Kika.

About Carlo Rambaldi

This lot is a highlight from the curated collection from the estate of Carlo Rambaldi—Italian special effects artist, animatronics pioneer, and ‘Monster Maker’—that Sotheby’s is honored to bring to auction this Apri🉐l.

Born in Northern Italy’s Vigarano Mainarda, Carlo Rambaldi began exploring the world of sculpture and puppetry from the age of five. After graduating from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna in 1951, Rambaldi’s career as a commercial artist would lead to him becoming one of the most influential special effects artists in the history of contemporary film. Rambaldi worked on over 65 films in Europe before emigrating to the U.S. to work on Dino De Laurentis’ King Kong in 1975. The 40-foot, mechanical ape Rambaldi built for the 1976 Kong film introduced his artistry to the American market, secured him his first Academy Award,🍒 and cemented his place in the American film industry.

In 1977, Rambaldi collaborated with Steven Spielberg for the first time to create the extraterrestrials for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. E.T. swiftly followed, and Rambaldi would receive his third Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for this collaboration. The career of Carlo Rambaldi traces a path through the some of the greatest science fiction and horror works of the 20th century—including credits on Alien (1979), Possession (1981), The Hand (1981), Conan the Destroyer (1984), David Lynch’s Dune (1984), and Cat’s Eye (1985).