“1949 Delahaye 175 S Roadster by Saoutchik”
Artist Simon Ward
Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 24 x 30 inches
Artist Description:
This one of a kind 1949 Delahaye 175S Saoutchik Roadster represents the pinnacle of post-war French fashion and luxury. The artist was originally drawn to this car because of his background focused on aerodynamic racing cars; with sweeping lines that exude a sense of speed and elegance, the unique Saoutchik bodywork is distinctive partly because of the elements shared with high performance racing cars. Additionally, Art Deco chrome accents grace almost every surface of this brightly-colored Delahaye, and an excess of chrome highlighting the fenders is intended to draw the eye down from the actual height of the car. The “narwhal” nose, similar to Figoni-Falaschi cars of the period, pushes the front forward, and the overall streamlined form appears to be hurtling through space, even at standstill. The covered wheels blur the distinction between what on other cars are separate fender and body lines, and also distort the overall scale – this dramatic two-seat coupe is actually almost 16′ long, which is nearly as large as most full-size sedans of the era. The setting along Highway 1 in California adjacent to the Bixby Creek Bridge was chosen for the dramatic height of the Art Deco bridge (built in 1932), which both complement and contrast the low-slung streamlined roadster.