Arts News
Sex on wheels: Masterpieces of the Ralph Lauren Collection in Paris
By April MacIntyre May 1, 2011, 21:34 GMT
A Ferrari 250 LM, 1964, vintage sport car is seen during the press day of the exhibition \'The Art of the Automobile, Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection\' at Les Arts Decoratifs Museum in Paris. The exhibition, which runs from April 28 to August 28, presents a selection of the most prestigious sports cars from the 1930s to the present day and outlines the main phases of the European automobile history. REUTERS/Charles Platiau.
It doesn't get much better in high-end car porn than the new exhibit, The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces of the Ralph Lauren Collection now on View in Paris.
Among the major car collections in the world, the one of American fashion designer Ralph Lauren's prestigious sports cars from the 1930s to present day is on view for the first time in Europe at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs. LINK
Real beauties, chosen by curator Rodolphe Rapetti, are on display by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, as this no-miss exhibit outlines the main phases of European automobile history.
Lauren shows that the automobile is a major art form created by Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche and of course, Ferrari, the high point of his unique collection.
In 1970, Les Arts Décoratifs presented a selection of competition cars, “Bolides Design.” To compile the exhibition, a special jury was assembled, featuring designers Joe Colombo, Roger Tallon and Pio Manzu, and the artists Jean-Paul Riopelle, Jean Tinguely and Victor Vasarely, as well as Robert Delpire and François Mathey.
The jury chose the models with the idea of the car as a design object, a work of art, showing that “art and technique, each at their own level, are the expression of man and his relationship with design.”
The Ralph Lauren collection was assembled over several decades by the fashion designer in a quest for speed and performance, it includes some of the most extraordinary vehicles ever created by the European automobile industry.
According to Reuters, within the collection are some of the most elegant and innovative cars in automotive history, from the “Blower” Bentley (1929), the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962), the famous Mercedes 300 SL (1955) and the unforgettable Jaguar “D type,” whose shark fin blazed a triumphant trail at Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957.
But the grand tourer, the Bugatti Atlantic (1938) of which only four models were produced, represents the ultimate in luxury while showcasing the evolution of styles and techniques on the road.
Reuters reports that the kinetic and sound of the vehicles will be reproduced by means of several films and recordings. A seminar on automobile design will also be held during the exhibition.
Among the cars on display:
Bentley Blower, 1929
This car was designed by W.O. Bentley, but it was Sir Hilary Birkin, one of the “Bentley Boys” (a group of British gentlemen, all of them drivers and lovers of fast cars) which led Bentley to equip it with a compressor, hence its nickname “Blower.” With massive bodywork embellished with the English flag, the Bentley Blower was created for a single purpose: to win races. This is the car Ian Fleming chose for James Bond 007 in his first novels.
Mercedes-Benz SS K «Comte Trossi», 1930
With its shark profile, the design of this Mercedes-Benz can be attributed to the talent of its owner, Italian aristocrat Count Carlo Felice Trossi, also a racing driver. The SSK is the archetype of the Mercedes of the 1920s, dominated by its colossal bonnet encompassing more than half of its length, with the radiator projecting out front as a windbreaker and exhaust pipes stemming from the sides.
Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Coupé, 1938
This is one of only four models ever built, and today only two are left. This fantastic car has visible seams and round-headed rivets running the length of its spine and mudguards. Power and speed are suggested by its doors cut out of the roof and ellipsoidal windows taken from the aeronautics register.
Ferrari 375 Plus, 1954
Like all the Ferraris of the time, there were no specific plans for this design. Highly qualified and talented craftsmen created this magnificently rounded shape following the verbal instructions of Ferrari’s official car designer, Pinin Farina. Thus they were able to produce a magnificent spyder which won Le Mans 24 Hours in 1954.
Jaguar XKD, 1955
No car from the ’50s embodies speed better than the XKD Jaguar, with three consecutive victories between 1955 and 1957 at Le Mans 24 Hours, and another at Nürburgring in 1956. It’s this car that enabled the driver Patricia Coundley to become the fastest woman in Europe in 1964. From the aileron at its tip to the elegantly rounded bonnet, its shape harks back to that of a fighter plane.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupé, 1955
The Gullwing owes its name to the doors which open upward, like wings. It was the darling of many celebrities including Sophia Loren, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Glen Ford and musician Skitch Henderson. Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, 1958 This car bears the mark of Sergio Scaglietti, one of Ferrari’s most talented coachbuilders. The Testa Rossa (red head), which takes its name from the red camshaft covers of its V12 engine, bears Scaglietti’s characteristic signature ‒ a long chassis with a torpedo ‒ like body, a headrest emerging from the bodywork and streamlined headlamps.
