The renowned Fairfax Media cartoonist Ron Tandberg has died of oesophageal cancer at the age of 74.
Tandberg spent more than four decades drawing for the Age, winning 11 Walkley awards, including two gold Walkleys.
He died on Monday afternoon in St John of God Hospital in Geelong, according to Fairfax.
“Much loved Age cartoonist Ron Tandberg has died this afternoon after a battle with cancer,” the Age tweeted on Monday afternoon.
Much loved Age cartoonist Ron Tandberg has died this afternoon after a battle with cancer. Tony Wright is writing an obituary in tribute to his mate. pic.twitter.com/X3hI91VmoI
— The Age (@theage) January 8, 2018
Tandberg’s illness was revealed to Age readers just before Christmas, in a piece by the associate editor, Tony Wright, a long-time friend of Tandberg’s.
The piece revealed the cartoonist was receiving radiation treatment for oesophageal cancer and was accompanied by a series of drawings where the cartoonist contemplated his mortality, the banality of his treatment, the odds of his recovery and what legacy he might leave.
Tandberg was beloved by generations of Melburnians who read his highly astute and deceptively simple cartoons. Each pocket cartoon was just a few simple lines of ink, yet regular readers did not have to look at the signature to immediately recognise a Tandberg.
His political cartoons sometimes drew anger from their targets, including the former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett, who turned his back on Tandberg at a public function. The cartoonist was fond of drawing Kennett with a mouth like the entrance to St Kilda’s Luna Park.
#tandberg The defining Kennett. pic.twitter.com/dBAo2a7MY1
— Neil McMahon (@NeilMcMahon) January 8, 2018
Tandberg was first published by the Age in 1972, joining the paper after working as an art teacher.
The news prompted an outpouring of tributes on social media.
A fellow long-time cartoonist at Fairfax, Alan Moir, said he was “shocked and saddened” by Tandberg’s death, describing him as one of Australia’s greatest ever cartoonists.
I am shocked and saddened by the news of cartooning colleague Ron Tandberg's death. He cartooned for the Melbourne Age since 1972, and I never read a cartoon that wasn't witty or pithy. One of Australia's greatest ever, he won 11 Walkley Awards. Will be greatly missed
— Alan Moir (@moir_alan) January 8, 2018
A fellow award-winning Fairfax cartoonist, Cathy Wilcox, tweeted a touching tribute.
“If brevity is the soul of wit, then Ron Tandberg was its embodiment,” Wilcox wrote. “Nobody could say so much so succinctly; he never lost his sharpness of humour or the power of his commentary. What a way to leave the world, drawing to the last breath.”
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, described Tandberg as an “icon”, who would be sorely missed.
We've lost an icon in Ron Tandberg. We'll miss him dearly – his clarity, his humanity and his humour. pic.twitter.com/RGLighQS8d
— Daniel Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) January 8, 2018
The Age’s editor, Alex Lavelle, said Tandberg was a “world-class cartoonist and world-class human being”.
“I always felt better about the world after a conversation with Ron,” Lavelle told Fairfax Media. “Even during these impossibly hard few months while he was battling this awful disease, he maintained his extraordinary sense of humour and was still drawing a few days ago.”
