1923 24 Hours of Le Mans – The Trees of Le Mans Painting

Grand Prix d'Endurance de 24 Heures / Coupe Rudge-Whitworth. Many details are hidden all over the drawing. My artworks are not copies of old photographs. Work on one picture usually takes up to 2 months. Many hours of research and reference material to make sure I rebuild the car and environment exactly the way it was in that race. In addition, all fonts, logos and advertisements were used in those years. The very first Le Mans 24 Hours was held near the town of Le Mans in the Sarthe region. The track was called Circuit Permanent de la Sarthe, from the outskirts of Le Mans, it ran on the main road southwards to the village of Mulsanne and back. Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) that was founded as Automobile Club de la Sarthe in the town of Le Mans in 1906 organized the race. Co-organizer and sponsor was wheel supplier Rudge-Whitworth. The surface of the track being made up of a mix of gravel and tar. The Chenard-Walcker of Léonard and Lagache won the race. However, there was no official victory for them as this event was the first part of three consecutive annual races, for the Rudge-Whitworth Triennial Cup. Interesting fact: at Le Mans 1923, of the 35 cars that took the start, 32 were French, the exceptions being two Belgian Excelsiors and a lone Bentley from Great Britain. Architecture & Landscape: The forest near Mulsanne corner. Organisation & Advertising: - Chenard&Walcker logo and advertisement in 1923. French racing drivers André Lagache and René Léonard. Racing Car No.9 Chenard-Walcker Type U3 15CV Sport 3.0L 90hp S4 - Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) logo in 1923. My motto Authenticity, precision, and historical accuracy in every brush stroke.