"When racing was dangerous and sex was safe", Jackie Stewart is said to have once said. In fact, racing claimed many victims and in the pre-war and post-war years, hardly a race weekend went by without fatalities and serious injuries.
The racing drivers of the early decades of the last century were real heroes, they knew no pain and only became successful through great courage. Although there are some photographs from that time, at a time when it was possible to expose perhaps 10 or 20 black-and-white negatives per day, and with shutter opening times that are unbelievably long today, it was of course not possible to take the kind of pictures we expect today, i.e. sharp, dynamic and naturally in color.
Two advertisers, Jan Rambousek and Petr Milerski from Prague, made this shortcoming their mission.
Art - Painting - Photography - Computer
With their technical background and a definite artistic streak, they began to develop complex illustrations purely as a hobby. First they tried their hand at a Blitzen-Benz, then more extensive projects with people and several vehicles matured.
The work is and was incredibly complex, with a single vehicle alone taking a month to complete, plus people, backgrounds and many other vehicles that are part of the scenery.
The vehicles are usually developed completely, i.e. from other sides, so they can be staged almost at will afterwards.
Reflections in the background and in the road are also possible in this way. A huge job.
Success and a new vocation
Rambousek and Milerski were successful, and Lord March was not the only one who liked the detailed pictures. Their following grew, as did their hunger to find out more. The book "When Motor Racing was dangerous" now provides clarity, shows how the two artists worked and, above all, presents some of their most beautiful works in large format.
From the idea to the complete work of art
The book shows step by step how some of the works were created, what considerations played a role and where the artists almost failed. For example, the hardware was always too weak for the desired richness of detail and Rambousek and Milerski did not want to leave anything out. Countless photos were taken, site visits were organized, sometimes only to find out that the historic buildings had long since disappeared.
No photos
The fact that the images are not photos is evident despite, or perhaps because of, the approach. The film material of the time would not have allowed so much depth of field and detail. The characters are somewhat reminiscent of pseudo-realistic animated films such as Tintin (Steven Spielberg, 3D, 2011). The scenery is breathtaking, the attention to detail enormous. The book is also fun to read and you keep discovering new facets.
The book features a variety of scenes, including those from the post-war period, such as the Ford GT40 or the Porsche 917 at Le Mans. And the McLaren M23 with James Hunt at the wheel. The highlights also include a Ferrari 250 GTO driving through a village on the occasion of the 1964 Targa Florio.
For picture lovers and technology fans
This book, edited by Bart Lenaerts, is certainly not intended for historians who like to decipher old photos with a magnifying glass and a detective's eye. Rather, it is intended for visually inclined motorsport fans and for people who are interested in how new works can be created with a computer and a lot of perseverance. Whether the EUR 59.90 is a good investment is something everyone has to decide for themselves. The large-format book (square, almost 30 cm edge length, 252 pages) is certainly not overpriced.
Bibliographical information
- Title: When Motor Racing was bloody dangerous An illustrated book of racing photos never taken
- Author/Editor: Bart Lenaerts, Language: German
- Publisher: Delius Klasing Verlag, Bielefeld
- Edition: 1st edition
- Format: found, 29.7 x 29.7 cm
- Size: 252 pages, 29 photos (color), 112 photos (b/w)
- ISBN: 978-3-667-10918-7, Price: from EUR 59.90
- Buy/order: Online at Delius Klasing, online at amazon.de and in the relevant bookstores
