Winners or not, all race cars are works of art

It matters not the era when a great racing machine was created. Every design, whether ultimately successful or not, was penned with a single purpose: to win or exceed in performance against the finest examples of its time on land, sea or in the air. What makes the great ones so elegantly beautiful, whether any given example matched or exceeded the accepted advanced contenders of the day or not, is irrelevant. 

What is significant and must be recognized and remembered is the passion and innovation that fueled their creation, for that is what made them great art. Some of the most strangely beautiful were so far ahead of what most contemporary builders perceived as the then-current expressions of excellence, that any neophyte’s unique forms were often considered grotesque or even ugly upon first view. 

If such a new concept happened to be successful when first matched against the existing best of its day, it most certainly changed the opinions of those fortunate enough to have been present. But most new ideas, if not personally experienced, were usually rejected simply because it was generally considered impossible that any new idea could be superior to what was then accepted as best.

What is perhaps most satisfying while looking back at these great moments in motorsports history are the ways in which such feats of brilliance were recorded. Common wall posters of records set or victories scored at famous venues were sometimes distributed in great numbers and so were not immediately considered collectors’ items–except by the most astute enthusiasts. But that would change. 

Time has a peculiar way of defining value. Some of the best posters, created by the most talented graphic artists of the day, were in themselves wonderful, exciting art, and are today valued far more than when first conceived. Their timely brilliance of events past is so evocative of the grandeur of these faded eras that even one fine example on a home wall is often emotionally valued far more than any other article in the room.   

There have been so few really great motorsports artists that their names are now universally recognized. Even a work that was once duplicated in the thousands to advertise some long-past important event is now valued not just for its historical importance but for the art itself. 

Some of the best work for Porsche, for example, was created by graphic artist Erich Strenger between 1951 and 1988. Whether he painted, used photography or even included a brilliant watercolor by Walter Gotschke to promote the German marque, Strenger’s accompanying graphic work set a standard for commercial excellence that’s seldom been matched.

I had the rare opportunity to collaborate with George Bartell on several magazine ads and race posters for Carroll Shelby that have since become collectors’ items, as his talent for combining fine portraiture with exacting accuracy on track is a signature theme. In Europe and the U.K., the fine work of Nicholas Watts has fortunately been duplicated in high-quality lithographs, so it’s currently available online for all who seek the best.

Even rarer is the original work created by the top motorsports artists of each era. Peter Helck’s scenes of early American races are sometimes all that is left of famous marques that vied for survival when literally hundreds were seeking immortality. The work of South American master Alfredo De La Maria is without parallel. He’s recreated some of the finest racing scenes from the early Grand Prix era to some from more modern times. Two of America’s best automotive illustrators today are Tom Fritz and Ed Tillrock. 

Look ’em all up. You may find a new passion in motorsports!

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