 |
 |
Golden Era of French Coachbuilding by François Vanaret François Vanaret was born the day the 1952 Paris Motor Show opened its doors. It was the last year Bugatti attended the show, and the beginning of the end of the Golden Era of the French Coachbuilding. As a child Vanaret filled exercise books with drawings of cars and filled his playtime with Dinky Toys (the European progenitor of toy car models, eventually taken over by Matchbox). Vanaret’s love of drawing and of cars never left him. By the 1990’s he had begun to study painting with acrylics and the use of color. In 1993 he read an article in “Automobile Classiques” by automotive historian Serge Bellu about French coachbuilding design at the Paris Bagatelle Concours d’Elegance. It inspired a passion. That passion has been shaped by his encounters with the great works of automotive art, especially with the Bugattis Royale coupé Napoléon and Royale Roadster Esders at the Musée National de l’Automobile in Mulhouse, France. To Vanaret, French coachbuilding is haute couture- it is art, the product of expert craftsmanship fueled by a priceless heritage. He lives out his passion through his painting. Vanaret meticulously researches classic cars and their owners, delving into the history of the art and the people who created it. Meeting the great-granddaughter of master coachbuilder Jacques Saoutchik was an priceless moment for him. Vanaret is presently working on plans to celebrate the Golden Age of French coachbuilding with a book. |
|
The inspiration for Vanaret’s painting comes primarily from Concours d’Elegance all around the world- Pebble Beach, Bagatelle, Villa d’Este. Each of his models is the subject of a detailed file of technical specifications, photos, history- all supplemented by information from his extensive library. Varanet uses wood panels for his work, drawing first with a pencil on a white background and then painting with acrylics. One of Varanet’s favorite ideas for a future work is a series to be called “Concours d’Elegance” depicting Hollywood movie stars from the ‘20s and ‘30s and their fabulous, classic, unique automobiles. |
 |