The Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles exhibit is presently on display at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee through September 15, 2013. The first fine art museum exhibition devoted to vehicles of the Art Deco era, Sensuous Steel highlights 18 automobiles and two motorcycles from the 1930s and ’40s.
Curated by Ken Gross from some of the most renowned car collectors and collections in the automotive world, the iconic vehicles in Sensuous Steel display the classic grace and modern luxury of Art Deco design.
Among a museum full of notable and important vehicles, examples include Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet; a 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow, one of three survivors; a special Delahaye 135MS created by coachbuilders Joseph Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi for the 1937 Paris Auto Salon; a 1934 Voisin Type C27 Aerosport Coupe; the airplane-like 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe; the 1939 Bugatti Type 57C by Vanvooren gifted by France as a wedding present to the future Shah of Iran and the very first “New York-style” 1938 Talbot-Lago T-150C-SS Teardrop Coupe.
“Rapidly changing and ever-evolving, the automobile became the perfect metal canvas upon which industrial designers expressed the vital spirit of the interwar period,” explained Guest Curator Ken Gross. “To give the illusion of dramatic movement and forward thrust, cars of the 1930s and ’40s merged gentle curves with angular edges. These automobiles were made from the finest materials and sported beautifully crafted ornamentation, geometric grillwork, and the elegant miniature statuary of hood ornaments. The classic cars of the Art Deco age remain today as among the most visually exciting, iconic and refined designs of the twentieth century.”
The Frist reported nearly 6,000 visitors for the opening weekend, one of the most successful openings in its history, with lines out the door and visitors from all over the country traveling to Nashville specifically to see the magnificent automobiles and motorcycles on display at Sensuous Steel.
The Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles exhibit is on display in the Center’s Ingram Gallery through September 15, 2013. Admission is free for Frist Center members and $10.00 for adults. Visitors 18 and younger are admitted free of charge. Advance tickets can be purchased on site at the Frist Center. Frist Center members may reserve tickets by calling the Frist Center Member Hotline at 615.744.3248. During the run of Sensuous Steel, Nashville’s Lane Motor Museum and the Frist Center will offer reciprocal admission discounts when ticket stubs are presented. Each ticket stub from the Lane Motor Museum is good for one half-price admission at the Frist, and each Frist Center ticket stub can be used at the Lane Motor Museum to receive a discount on a single ticket. For additional information, visit www.fristcenter.org.
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Photographer Bruce Sweetman documented the June 14, 2013 opening of the Sensuous Steel exhibit, offering the following gallery that highlights the wonderful and interesting selection of Art Deco automobiles on display at the Frist.
Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles – Photo Gallery
1937 Delahaye 135MS Roadster, Courtesy of The Revs Institute for Automotive Research and the Collier Collection. Parisian coachbuilders Joseph Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi produced this special Delahaye for the 1937 Paris Auto Salon. The dark red leather interior and matching carpets were provided by Hermès.1937 Delahaye 135MS Roadster, Courtesy of The Revs Institute for Automotive Research and the Collier Collection1937 Delahaye 135MS Roadster, Courtesy of The Revs Institute for Automotive Research and the Collier Collection1937 Delahaye 135MS Roadster, Courtesy of The Revs Institute for Automotive Research and the Collier Collection
1934 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofile Coupe in the main gallery.1930 Jordan Model Z Speedway Ace Roadster, Collection of Edmund J. Stecker Family Trust1930 Jordan Model Z Speedway Ace Roadster, Collection of Edmund J. Stecker Family Trust1930 Jordan Model Z Speedway Ace Roadster, Collection of Edmund J. Stecker Family Trust
Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles – Photo Gallery Page Two
1936 Delahaye 135M Figoni and Falaschi Competition Coupe, Collection of Jim Petersen1936 Delahaye 135M Figoni and Falaschi Competition Coupe, Collection of Jim Petersen. Commissioned by French racing driver Albert Perrot, the Delahaye was one of French coachbuilders Joseph Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi’s first aerodynamic coupe designs. Built on one of the fifty short chassis designed for sporty two-seater models, it was equipped with a four-speed competition-style manual transmission for rallies and powered by a 4-liter Delahaye six with three downdraft Solex carburetors.Front: 1936 Delahaye 135M Figoni and Falaschi Competition Coupe. Back: 1937 Delahaye 135MS Roadster1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet, Collection of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. Previously owned by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who purchased this stunning cabriolet, painted it his signature Taliesin orange, and owned it until his death in 1959.
1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet, Collection of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. Previously owned by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who purchased this stunning cabriolet, painted it his signature Taliesin orange, and owned it until his death in 1959.Frist Center For the Visual Arts – lobby ceiling detail.1934 Voisin Type C27 Aerosport Coupe, Collection of Merle and Peter Mullin1934 Voisin Type C27 Aerosport Coupe, Collection of Merle and Peter Mullin
Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles – Photo Gallery Page Three
1934 Voisin Type C27 Aerosport Coupe, Collection of Merle and Peter Mullin1934 Voisin Type C27 Aerosport Coupe, Collection of Merle and Peter Mullin1930 Henderson KJ Streamline, Collection of Frank Westfall. Powered by a 1,200-cc, 40-brake horsepower, in-line four-cylinder engine, the Streamline could exceed 100 mph. It was reportedly hard to ride and the complex curved body was heavy and was difficult to make.1930 Henderson KJ Streamline, Collection of Frank Westfall.
1940 Indian Chief, Collection of Gary Sanford1940 Indian Chief, Collection of Gary Sanford1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, Collection of Chrysler Group, LLC1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, Collection of Chrysler Group, LLC
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1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, Collection of Chrysler Group, LLC1939 Delage D-120S Saoutchik Cabriolet, Collection of John W. Rich, Jr.1939 Delage D-120S Saoutchik Cabriolet, Collection of John W. Rich, Jr.Front: 1939 Delage D-120S Saoutchik Cabriolet. Back: 1939 Bugatti Type 57C
1939 Bugatti Type 57C by Vanvooren, Collection of Margie and Robert E. Petersen
1939 Bugatti Type 57C by Vanvooren, Collection of Margie and Robert E. Petersen. When Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, Prince of Persia and future Shah of Iran married Egypt’s Princess Fawzia, France sent this Type 57C with custom coachwork by Vanvooren of Paris as a wedding present.1935 Chrysler Imperial Model C-2 Airflow Coupe, Collection of John and Lynn Heimerl
Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles – Photo Gallery Page Five
1936 Cord 810 “Armchair” Beverly Sedan, Collection of Richard and Debbie Fass. The “Armchair” Beverly featured a quartet of easy chairs, each with its own armrest.1935 Chrysler Imperial Model C-2 Airflow Coupe, Collection of John and Lynn Heimerl. One of ten known to survive of just 200 built.1934 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow Sedan, Academy of Art University1934 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow Sedan, Academy of Art University
1934 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow Sedan, Academy of Art University. One of three surviving Silver Arrows, the Phillip O. Wright-designed streamlined fastback coupe could top 115 mph when its 175-hp V-12 was wound to the fullest.1934 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow Sedan, Academy of Art University1934 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow Sedan, Academy of Art UniversityFront: 1936 Scout Scarab. Back: 1934 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow Sedan1936 Scout Scarab, Collection of Larry Smith
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1936 Scout Scarab, Collection of Larry Smith1936 Scout Scarab, Collection of Larry Smith1938 Tatra T97, Lane Motor Museum1938 Tatra T97, Lane Motor Museum
1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe, Collection of Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe, Collection of Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe, Collection of Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe, Collection of Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation. Using a French built Hispano-Suiza chassis, the Xenia Coupe was conceived by André Dubonnet, designed by Jean Andreau and hand-built in the coachbuilding shop of Jacques Saoutchik.1934 Packard Twelve Model 1106 Sport Coupe by LeBaron
Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles – Photo Gallery Page Seven
Front: 1934 Packard Twelve Model 1106 Sport Coupe by LeBaron. Back: 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe1934 Packard Twelve Model 1106 Sport Coupe by LeBaron, Collection of Robert and Sandra Bahre1938 Talbot-Lago T-150C-SS Teardrop Coupe, Collection of J. Willard Marriott, Jr.1938 Talbot-Lago T-150C-SS Teardrop Coupe, Collection of J. Willard Marriott, Jr.
1938 Talbot-Lago T-150C-SS Teardrop Coupe, Collection of J. Willard Marriott, Jr. This is the first of twelve “New York-style” Talbot-Lago coupes built by Figoni and Falaschi between 1937 and 1939, so-called because it was first introduced at the 1937 New York Auto Show at the Grand Central Palace.1934 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofile Coupe, Collection of Merle and Peter Mullin1934 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofile Coupe, Collection of Merle and Peter MullinLeft: 1934 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofile Coupe. Right: 1934 Voisin Type C27. Back: 1934 Packard Twelve, 1934 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow.1934 Edsel Ford’s Model 40 Special Speedster, Edsel and Eleanor Ford House
Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles – Photo Gallery Page Eight
1934 Edsel Ford’s Model 40 Special Speedster, Edsel and Eleanor Ford House1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe is moved into place.The 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt parks temporarily in the lobby of the Frist.1939 Delage D8-120 Saoutchik Cabriolet – Classics filled the hallway.
The First Center for the Visual Arts. The former Post Office was built in 1934.The Frist Center for the Visual Arts fronts Broadway in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.The lobby of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts during member preview.The main gallery was awash with people during the Member Preview.Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles
argh, why do expo’s like this always have to be so far away from me :'(
This one, Dirk, is, I believe, the FIRST event featured in SCD (not their fault) within a thousand miles of me (near Houston).
The exhibit was breathtaking.
Beautiful cars, especially the delahaye teardrop coupes + the talbot -lagot-150c coupes. I wish !!!!
I agree, Bryan, about the F&F cars. On a different plane. But let’s stress: the cars are all beautiful.
Even the motorcycles; I’ve always kinda liked the looks of the Indian (my Dad rode one on the Texas
Highway Patrol in the early 30s), but it never occurred to me that those fenders were Art Deco.
my sntiments also…………
What a wonderful “re-purposing” of a grand old post office building! Too bad those great autos were only visiting, but Nashville is convenientl to a large population in the SE.
Absolutely, Chuck. When the USPS finally goes broke (years ago, really), those old
Depression era buildings will all be available for useful enterprises. This one was
magic, though.
Not the first such show. Phoenix Art Museum did Curves of Steel a few years ago and it was a blockbuster. The catalog was beautifully done too. Love photos of this one. Thanks.
I think several galleries have done car shows. I know the High Museum here in Atlanta did one, but I reading this carefully I see this: “first fine art museum exhibition devoted to vehicles of the Art Deco era”. I think the Art Deco focus is the distinction here.
Looking forward to a Nashville trip soon…
Steve, was that Phoenix show featured in SCD?
Don’t know if it was featured as I don’t think I was on to SCD at the time. Turns out the exhibition was in 2007. Time flies. The catalog “Curves of Steel” has been re-printed and is available on Amazon or from the Museum store. Check it out. Cars and photos are fantastic. Well worth adding to your library.
It is great to see the Indian Motorcycle recognized in this fitting feature. Well done!
Yes, Red! Had the old Indian look ever seemed Art Deco to you? It will always be so, in my eyes,
after this. Perfect placement; no Harley, and certainly no Asian bike, would qualify.
A great show–worth making a special trip. A great catalog–worth picking up.
In my opinion, the most stunning cars ever done, now all are alike.
This are in my wishing list!!!!!! What about Rolls and Bentleys???????????Thanks for the photos, just mouth watering………V. Orsi
Sorry, Vittorio. They’re too damned stodgy. This was 30’s STYLE; no dowdy old Brits allowed.
Well, this works out great! I go to Atlanta every Labor Day wknd (NASCAR race) and am always looking for things to do on my return trip. I never take a direct route back to Toronto and I can guarantee there’ll be a Poncho with Ontario plates in the parking lot around Sept. 3. Tres cool and looking forward to seeing these beasts in 3D instead of a flat screen!
The French use chrome like paint.
Clearly the sense of style and flair that is so prevalent in that period is mostly gone.
What incredible lines, simply beautiful!