A thought for Christmas

Posted on by Joe Saward

As everyone signs off for the Christmas break, I found myself with a minute or two to spare and went for a wander in motor racing art. I stumbled upon a “Geo Ham” painting that I had not seen before and I like it very much. I have long been a fan of the French artist, indeed behind my head as I type I have a “Ham” print on the wall – and very lovely it is. In the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s Ham was the finest automobile artist in the world. He designed posters for the Monaco Grand Prix, the Le Mans 24 Hours and many other events: creating a series of Art Deco masterpieces that are still hugely popular. He raced himself on an irregular basis, to indulge a boyhood passion for speed and to help him capture the thrill of racing in a golden age. There is a wonderful romance and style about his work, which no modern artist has ever come close to emulating.

The odd thing about this particular work was that there was something rather familiar about the driver and it took me a while before I suddenly realised that he is a spitting image of Michael Schumacher.

I am sure you will see what I mean…

geoham.detail

With that in mind, it is definitely time to shut down the blog for the Christmas period. As much as Michael loves the sport and does not want to stop, I cannot believe that he was doing it in the 1930s as well!

I guess that I will be back in action again around January 3 or 4. I doubt much will happen over the break.

Published by Joe Saward

82 thoughts on “A thought for Christmas”

      1. Lost in racing art wouldn’t be a bad way to go.

        Thank you for another great year, all the best to you and yours.

        Reply

  6. It’s that chin… Happy Xmas Joe and thank you for this amazing blog; it’s my main source of trustworthy F1 knowledge. Hope you have a relaxing break.

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  7. Well done Joe – you get a lot of stick but you give as good as you get, I like that. I’d like to thank you for allowing me to rant occasionally…… Have a good break – Bonne Fêtes!

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  8. Thanks so much for your valuable and unfettered insights this year, Joe. Many good wishes for the holidays. Look forward to your thoughts in 2013.

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  9. Happy Christmas Joe. Your readers are sure that while you trot the globe, ‘er back at the factory has been planning new parts to fit your Chriistmas

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  10. Tempting fate with your final words! I assume tomorrow Ford will announce they have acquired Marussia 😀

    Have a good and well-deserved break, it all starts again soon..

    PS the schumacher jaw reminds me of my favourite picture, the Vettel Finger in a Ferrari on the Mille Miglia:

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      1. Indeed, although it’s the targa florio, not mille miglia. I always get those confused…

        Couldn’t resist buying it, it’s a bit spooky. Will have to find a print of Joe’s Schuey and start a Dr Who: F1 Racer section 🙂

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  11. Another year (almost) gone; still, at least we’ve now got Suzi Perry to look forward too next year – even if she much prefers two wheels over four (nice one, BBC – what’s wrong with Lee McKenzie?).

    Mr Arron’s newspaper blog is no more (and lasted longer than, I believe, you predicted!), but we still have your great insights behind the scenes to look forward to in 2013.

    Merry Christmas, Joe, and a happy new year.

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  12. Isn’t that something? Perhaps that portends another un-retirement of the master?? I doubt it. 🙂
    Have a Merry Christmas and a very happy New year Joe, to you and all your family!

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  15. I see what you mean, but my first thought was Graham Hill…

    Anyway, many thanks for all your insights into this year, and best regards for the next.

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  16. Bless to all, over the break. That’s a interdenominational bless, by the way. Believe in what you will, but believe in something, maybe whoever is closest to you, or who is most in need of knowing someone cares.

    And thanks again to the GP+ boys and girls, and who loves them despite these vain attempts at breaking all known journalistic records.

    Joe, if ever I am rich, I shall sponsor your art collecting. What a wonderful example. I’m a huge fan of the optimism of that style of art, not solely by being brought up by someone a young impressionable man in the 30s who bothered, despite shoestrings, to travel and see. In wealthier times I collected advertising posters of the era, particularly of exhibitions ad tourist spots. Ham died as I entered this world. My Uncle was born a week or so after him, but thankfully both he and my father survived long enough to pass on to me the experiences they had, good and bad, but (allowing I was a boy) mostly the good. They would light up, talking of the art. Those were two truly hard nut men. There’s a beauty in hope and endeavour in his work (and also in many of his contemporaries) that we should grasp again.

    For anyone interested in illustration as it happens now, I say that http://www.drawn.ca is the exemplar exposition of talent and variety. I so often see the great styles in work exhibited there that you might not need a ad agency, if you simply look, and go write the artist.

    Enjoy your break, Joe! It’s truly deserved. I’m having been a lazy git (ahem, I think that may be called having a private life!) shall be consumed with the wonders of new technology which have arrived on my doorstep, and demand attention, so to be ready when we open again. Especial thanks to DT, only just re-reading your pieces, David, but I under appreciated them before.

    Be well, all of you. And you nuts in the comments sections, please come back, even if you fancy a go at me, I usually deserve it, it’s all been proper fun 🙂

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    1. I always pause to read your comments. Usually interesting, often challenging, always different.
      Merry Christmas

      Reply

      2. Just a suggestion, because it is a challenging work, despite maybe being the easiest to read on the subject, I highly recommend “The Rape Of Europa” by Lynn Nicholas. I almost always give books away, once read, just got another copy in paperback. It’s the story of how art was looted during WWII. Hence my mention of how my forbears lit up on the subject of art. So much was destroyed. My late BP knew a fair few of the forgers, they usually started out in restoration. To have got your backside into Europe in the 20s and early 30s must have been a mega trip. (WWI was unusually confined, you could sit through it if you were not on the front) Anyhow, that book may open a world to you, in the way Sabateurs does. (Sabs needs a follow up!) Maybe too much detail, but never short in richness. This very day, fantastic art is being destroyed about the world. So much of it is actually just neglected. I had some watercolor portraits left at my family home, one of Virginia Woolf that I adored, and they were faded by being placed in the wrong light. Maybe the point of art is the ephemerality of it all, the pious attempts to transmit fleeting emotion into concrete form. We are but blips on the face of the planet, and inhabit a unknown existence.

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    2. “Bless to all, over the break. That’s a interdenominational bless, by the way. Believe in what you will, but believe in something, maybe whoever is closest to you, or who is most in need of knowing someone cares.”

      Thank you John.

      Reply

  18. Astute observation – but it does make me wonder why it looks like MS – I ,mean hardly any of the facial characteristics are visible and yet it doesn’t look like any other driver – only MS – very interesting!

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  19. Enjoy the holidays. If you happen to be near a good french bakery, please have them pack up a few croissants, and send them to me.

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  20. Wonderful artist and I completely agree that he managed to capture the essence of motor racing in a way that no other has. Sheer inspiration.

    I’ve very much enjoyed your insights this year Joe and look forward to next.

    Je vous souhaite de bonnes fêtes de fin d’année avec prospérité et santé pour vous et tous vos proches

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  21. That’s a nice piece of work – I like all the different suggestions of speed in there. And, as you say, he was ahead of his time… I’ve got a poster of one of Ham’s Monaco designs, but didn’t know anything about the artist – so I was delighted to come across your feature about him in one of the GP+ back issues.

    Have a great Christmas Joe. Looking forward to another year of racing & fun.

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  23. The picture on the cover of “The man who caught Crippen” also resembles Schumi as well…at least form the thumbnail at the side of your blog 🙂

    Happy holidays Joe.

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  24. Joe, thanks for putting the time into the blog this year. best resource I know to find out what’s really happening. Merry Christmas and happy new year

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  25. Merry Christmas and the best for this 2013. It has been a great and interesting year for F1 and your clever and well documented inside thoughts about the sport made it better. I enjoyed this site very much.
    See you soon

    Reply

    1. Have a great holiday, RShack. I’m lucky to be allowed here, but you are one of the people who made the discussions a warm place to be.

      Reply

  27. Joe
    Many thanks for all your superb efforts in 2012!

    We had a wonderful 80th birthday party for Bob Holden on 1st December:

    Max Stahl (Racing Car News for a few decades) was MC. The 3rd pic in the gallery is John Elliott who is writing Bob’s story.

    Have a great Xmas!

    Jeremy

    Reply

    1. Jeremy,
      Bob was a big influence on me early in my career, he was one of the few who would take the time to listen and offer advice. I doubt he would remember me but I remember him. Let him know his words were listened to and acted on. Perhaps Joe might post when his story is published as I’d very much like to read it.

      Warmest regards,
      build

      Reply

  28. Merry Xmas Joe, Enjoy your well earned break.

    Yet again your passion, enthusiasm, encyclopaedic knowledge and long serving ‘sources’ have allowed us all a glimpse into ‘your’ F1 world – Through your thought provoking and insightful blog we travel the world with you. On the one hand taking us on the long, scenic, car journeys through Europe on the other spilling coffee over a laptop in a ‘brothel/motel’ in South Korea.

    I thank you on behalf of us all.

    It’s only about 10 weeks until the circus all kicks off again, but in the meantime, time to enjoy some good cooking…..

    Mike.

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  29. Thanks for paying attention to motor art! You might like to check out motorarts dot co dot uk – having just graduated from my Masters in Fine Arts I am committing all my time to art about motors. Be interested in your what you think

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  30. Joe, thanks for all the posts this year. Happy christmas and all the best for 2013. I have treated myself on another year of Grand Prix +, so bring on 2013!

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  32. Merry Christmas Joe. Thanks for your hard work through the year and for sharing some tidbits for free on the blog. Looking forward to what 2013 brings.

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  36. Many thanks Joe, I check your blog nearly every day and like the others posting here, really appreciate your hard work and dedication.

    Have a great break.

    Cheers,
    Julian F

    Reply

  37. Merry Christmas and good luck for the new year Joe. Thanks for the insights and observations through the whole season (now where am I gonna get reliable, impartial info for the next week or so?)

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  39. One recalls in the final scene of The Shining “Jack Torrance” appears in an impossibly old photo. Just how many careers has Schuey actually had in one guise or another? Hmm…

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  44. G’day Joe,
    Have yourself a very merry xmas and a happy new year.

    And thank you very much for this blog, or opinion log. While I often disagree with your opinion, I respect that you unlike others offer a forthright and honest opinion not the sanitised and sensationalised media that we are fed from … well almost everywhere.

    Please keep up the great work and ignore the occasional troll as we have limited sources of blokes who are actually *in F1 and on the ground at every GP*.

    I hope you will post if anything happens with Force India as I’m hearing disturbing noises.

    Warmest regards,
    build

    Reply

  46. Once again you show the left field view of life with a F1 slant, it reeks of proper journalism. Thank you. And thank you for your informed opinions over the whole year. Hope you have your feet up with a nice bottle or two of your adopted country’s finest. Merry Christmas.

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  48. Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year to you and yours, Joe — and thank you for another year of great journalism. Cheers.

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  50. A heartfelt Merry Christmas and Awesome (I knew you’d like that one) New Year !!!
    From our family to yours.
    (Now guess where we come from…)

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  53. Peace on earth
    goodwill towards men

    2012 was a good year for F1 and myself. May you and everyone on this website have an ever better 2013

    what does a 2013 subscription with access to all back issues to GP+ cost?

    Reply

  55. I have said it before and feel it is worth saying again; I have been following F1 since the late ’50s when I was a young boy and have never enjoyed myself or learned as much as I have since I discovered this blog and GP+.

    Thanks for sharing your passion and knowledge.

    Reply

  56. All the best for the Solstice celebrations, Joe.
    2012 was a vintage year for your powerful reportage
    and superb grasp of the complexities of F1. Long
    may we all benefit from your insights and deep knowledge
    of the extraordinary sport.

    Thank you, Joe.

    Reply

  58. Have loved this blog during the 2012 season. Happy Christmas to you Joe and enjoy the well earned break. Best wishes and thanks for all your hard work. Nick W. ………by the way, regarding the art, you’re absolutely spot-on with the chin!!

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  60. Best wishes for the New Year, Joe; this blog is always a great read. I’m an Autocar subscriber, and look forward to your new column; just how frequently will you feature in the World’s oldest car mag?

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      1. Is that in addition to Alan Henry’s column ? On that note, I am sat here watching a documentary on Jackie Stewart on bbc 2. They’ve just spoken to him, he’s looking rather old now, is he alright ?

        Reply

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