Ferrari Legends - Gilles Villeneuve

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This A2 Print

Gilles Villeneuve – Ferrari 312 T3'Tranversale'
18th January 1950 to 8th May 1982
Nationality: French Canadian
Grands Prix: 67
Wins: 6

Published as a Limited Edition of 500, each print numbered and signed by the artist. Produced on acid-free (museum-quality) water colour paper with a weight of 210 gsm. Size A2 (420mm x 594mm).

Gilles Villeneuve caught the imagination of a generation and became a sporting legend in his own lifetime. The flamboyant and fearless style of this driver often saw him attain good results with less than competitive machinery.

Many remember Villeneuve's wheel-banging duel with René Arnoux in the last laps of the French Grand Prix in 1979. There was the win at Monaco in 1981 and in Spain the same year, keeping five quicker cars behind him for most of the race using the superior straight-line speed of the ill-handling Ferrari 126C Turbo.

During the extremely wet Friday practice session for the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1979 Villeneuve set a qualifying time 11 seconds faster than any other driver.

Villeneuve was killed during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. At his funeral in Berthierville former team-mate Jody Scheckter delivered a simple eulogy: "I will miss Gilles for two reasons, first, he was the fastest driver in the history of motor racing; second, he was the most genuine man I have ever known. But he has not gone, the memory of what he has done, what he achieved, will always be there."

The Artist – Simon Read

Born in England, February 1964, into an artistic and supportive family, Simon sold his first painting (a D-Type Jaguar) at the age of fifteen. This was swiftly followed by work for numerous car clubs and racing teams, culminating in artwork commissioned by several Formula One Teams and their sponsors.

Simon has mastered diverse media and developed new techniques with Gouache, Water-Colour, Pencil and Indian Inks. After briefly experimenting with airbrishes, he now paints exclusively with fine sable brushes. In addition to racing cars, aviation, and other technical subjects, there is a love of figure drawing that has lead in a variety of directions, including his trademark portrait and car combinations.

Simon lives and works in Adelaide, South Australia.

About Ferrari Legends

Each 'Ferrari Legend' painting features the driver and the significant car.

Both aspects of the work have been researched over a lifetime of passion for the subject.

All of the men who have driven the scarlet racing cars from Maranello have been part of the mythos of Ferrari. Within this elite group of drivers are some of the truly legendary racers. Ferrari has always attracted a special breed of driver. Not simply in terms of wins, or championships, these drivers demonstrated extraordinary commitment, talent and fearless competitiveness that has endeared them to generations of race fans.

Scuderia Ferrari has the longest and most successful sporting tradition of any organisation. The Ferrari Legends paintings illustrate the legendary drivers alongside their most famous cars. Each portrait is a monochrome illustration, within the montage that depicts the Ferrari shield and car. The lack of strong colour in the faces adds greater depth to the composition, while the cars are rendered sharply and thrust forward.

These elements are set against and blended into a dramatic swirling backdrop of colour.

The Original Paintings

Painted in gouache on hot-press, smooth grain water colour paper, the Ferrari Legends paintings illustrate the legendary drivers alongside their most famous cars.