Rene Vincent, illustrator par excellence

One of the most prominent illustrators from the period when advertising for cars was done largely through posters was the Frenchman Rene Vincent (1879-1936). World famous in France and beyond.

Nowadays there are numerous ways to decide which car to choose. You can still pick a car from traditional brochures and car magazines. The internet also offers the option to configure a car virtually. Car owners can also share their experiences online on various forums. The latter is not new, because as early as the first half of the last century the car manufacturer Packard was already using the slogan "Ask the man who owns one".

At the beginning of the last century, there were only the traditional car magazines. They wrote about cars whether or not prompted by the manufacturers describing how excellent or appealing they were. Articles were illustrated with images supplied by the manufacturers, mostly consisting of side views.

Over time, people realized that the car had to be shown in action, racing along the still unpaved roads. This distinctive style lasted for a long time, but Rene Vincent changed that.

Rene Vincent was born in Bordeaux but moved to Paris at the age of five. His father was a well known publicist at the time who wrote under the nom de plume of Pierre Mael. The young Rene had decided, however, that he wanted to become an architect and studied at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts. In his spare time he was already making drawings in order to make his allowance a bit more generous. His work quickly became popular and he also began illustrating books. During this period he became fascinated by the new phenomenon, the automobile. He was one of the first in France to have a driving licence. His first car was a Berliet, from which he would later receive many commissions. In 1900 he illustrated his first car book. Vincent not only depicted cars, but also drew for many fashion magazines.

Contrary to the prevailing standard at the time, where speed was often a dominant theme, Vincent depicted everyday life with the automobile.

That made him particularly popular. It also meant the end of the flamboyant style with all its frills. His drawings were clean and no-nonsense. His work was, however, enlivened with voluptuous female beauty, an element that rarely failed to have an effect.

Vincents fame outside France grew. He followed in his fathers restless, travel-loving footsteps. Rene Vincent tried his luck in America. By then he had contracts with Harpers Bazaar and The Saturday Evening Post, magazines that were extremely prestigious at the time. This collaboration would last no less than 25 years.

Vincent was also in high demand in America. He worked out of New York, and his clients were spread across different parts of the United States. He clearly felt at home in America and spoke almost accentless English. Thanks in part to his language skills, he came into contact with many prominent American colleagues. One of them was Charles Dana Gibson, the creator of the "Gibson Girls".

These ladies stood out for their beauty and had what in America was called the hourglass figure. The ones drawn by Vincent were inspired by the Gibson Girls. They were, of course, dressed in the latest French haute couture.

In 1910 Vincent married Suxanne Locquet, the daughter of the director of the French national service that was responsible for furnishing the offices of the French government institutions. The couple had a beautiful house built in Paris, in a chic part of the Bois de Boulogne. His father in law undoubtedly helped with the interior design. Beneath the house there was a garage, which was quite special for that time.

Vincent had everything going for him. Commissions from various car manufacturers were pouring in, and in social circles he was also a welcome guest. In real life, Vincent was the spitting image of the masculine types from his illustrations: impeccably dressed and of average height. His sense of humor was widely known and this often shows in his drawings.

The list of manufacturers for whom Vincent worked was long. Among others, Hispano-Suiza, Bugatti, Peugeot, Renault, Georges Irat, Voisin and Minerva were part of the European client list.

Outside Europe, well known American brands, including Lozier, Lincoln and Packard, also made eager use of his services. Incidentally, he mostly drove cars of the brands he worked for. Tire manufacturers such as Michelin and Englebert were also clients, as well as various popular French and American weekly magazines.

As with many artists, Vincent realized somewhat later in life that he should change his style. For a while he produced work under the name "Rageot" or "Dufour." He soon noticed that this was not a success and continued on in his "old" way. This also shows his strong commercial mindset. After all, he did not burn his bridges and regarded it as a failed experiment.

The crowning achievement of his career was his appointment as President of the Association of Designers and Artists. In this role he championed copyright for its members, a cause in which he was likewise successful.

Vincent died at the age of 57. His wife outlived him by many years.

Peter Helbach