Illustration or Art ?

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by Leo J McAllam:
English-speaking motoring enthusiasts may be familiar with J A Grégroire’s autobiography entitled Best Wheel Forward, published in 1954. The original French version about the life of this front-wheel drive pioneer and of Tracta motorcar fame had appeared the year before as L’Aventure Automobile. Apart from the story itself, what makes the original even more interesting is that the cover illustration (click main pic) is by the artist Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958), who also wrote the book’s introduction.

Vlaminck was one of the very few recognised artists of the first half of the 20th century whose works hang in the major galleries of the world who regularly produced images with a motoring content. He bought his first car in 1920, a straight-8 Ballot, which he drove with great enthusiasm.

Other significant artists (as distinct from illustrators) such as Bonnard and Matisse also produced the occasional motoring-related painting, but they seem to have been among the few exceptions.

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