The Allure of the Automobile is a temporary special exhibition that is taking place now at the High Museum of Art until June 20, 2010. These automobiles were custom-built for privileged rich clients and many on display are the only model that exists in the world. They were built largely by hand and in small numbers. Some were sports cars that broke records on racetracks; others are cars were previously owned by Hollywood actors such as Clark Gable. Two of Gable's cars are on display: the 1934 Packard Twelve Runabout Speedster and the 1935 Duesenberg JN Roadster. The Packard "LeBaron" Speedster was commissioned by Gable's wife and had teardrop-shaped step plates. The customized additions to the vehicle made it more than 10 times expensive.
Pre-War vs Post War, European vs American
The exhibition looks at the evolution of high-end cars after World War II, comparing European and American design. The pre-war automobiles are lavish and large, such as the 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow, 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster, and 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante Coupe.
The post-war designs, however, are smaller, more compact, and sportier, such as the 1953 Porsche 550, the Jaguar XK-SS Roadster (owned by Steve McQueen), and the 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato.
The wonderful thing about the exhibition is that non-automobile enthusiasts can still appreciate the automobiles as works of art. The automobiles are also accompanied with descriptions of the owner, special features of the car, and photographs of the automobile at the time it was in use. Most of the automobiles are also displayed in a manner that visitors can walk around the vehicles and look at them from various angles. Also, photographs are permitted, which is rare for special exhibitions.
Organizing The Allure of the Automobile
The exhibition was put together by Ron Labaco and Ken Gross. Labaco is the curator of decorative arts and design at the High Museum of Art. Gross is former director of the Peterson Automotive Museum in California and was judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for the past twenty years. Several private collectors, museums, and automakers' company museums from around the world lent the automobiles to the museum for this exhibition.
The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for students and senior citizens, and $11 for ages 6-17, and free for kids under 5. The first Sundays of each month are also free for Bank of America card holders. The museum is accessible by public transportation; it is less than a minute's walk from the MARTA subway station.
Here is a list of the automobiles on display:
- 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow
- 1934 Packard Twelve Runabout Speedster, formerly owned by Clark Gable
- 1935 Duesenberg JN Roadster, formerly owned by Clark Gable
- 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster
- 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante Coupe
- 1937 Delage D8-120S, Surbaisse, formerly owned by Louis Delage
- 1937 Hispano-Suiza H-6C "Xenia" Coupe
- 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C2900B Touring Berlinetta
- 1938/39 Porsche Type 64 Coupe replica
- 1953 Porsche 550 Le Mans/La Carrera Panamerica Coupe
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR (W 196-S)
- 1957 Jaguar XKSS Roadster, formerly owned by Steve McQueen
- 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
- 1961 Ferrari 250 Short-Wheelbase Berlinetta, "SEFAC Hot Rod"
- 1948 Tucker Model 48 Torpedo
- 1954 Dodge Firearrow III Concept Coupe
- 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham
- 1959 Chevrolet Corvette "Bill Mitchell" Stingray Prototype
D. Yvette Wohn - Specializing in science and technology but with a personal love of architecture and the arts, I have an ten-year journalism background, ...
