Ben Heywood :: Advertising Art

1970 Pontiac Bonneville Four-Door Hardtop (1969)

Artists: Art Fitzpatrick (Penciller) , Van Kaufman (Penciller)

6 Comments - 260 Views - 6 Likes

1970 Pontiac Bonneville Four-Door Hardtop (1969) Comic Art

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Additional Images:

pre MACC conservation

verso

1970 Pontiac brochure

Bonneville 4-door hardtop DPS

Bonneville 4-door hardtop

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Artwork Details

Title:	1970 Pontiac Bonneville Four-Door Hardtop (1969)
Artist:	Art Fitzpatrick (Penciller)
Artist:	Van Kaufman (Penciller)
Media Type:	Paint - Watercolor
Art Type:	Illustration
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	260
Likes on CAF:	6 7
Comments:	6
Added to Site:	1/23/2024
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Grail Alert!

Ever since I moved the USA, I've been fascinated by American car advertisements of the 1960s and 70s. The aspirational luxury of these ridiculous objects, presenting a lifestyle of glitz and glamour. Real Mad Men stuff. Thanks to Rob Keil's 2022 book 'Art Fitzpatrick & Van Kaufman: Masters of The Art of Automobile Advertising', I was able to put a name to these amazing artworks.

Art Fitzpatrick & Van Kaufman illustrated brochures for Pontiac for 20 or so years, and are credited with the brand's success in the 1960s and early 1970s. Van was a Disney background artist, and prepared the background settings for each image. Art painted the car separately, then the car image was glued to the background, and then he added the highlights based on Van's work. This enabled the images to be produced quickly and efficiently, before they were sent to the ad agency in New York from their homes in Connecticut. The paintings are quite small (again for speed), and the miniaturist nature of Art's brushwork is astounding. Both artists disdained the airbrush, and maintained that true images came from close observation of reflection and colour. The 'wide-stance' distortion that Art produced for the cars made Pontiacs offering look more aggressive and luxurious than their competitors.

Also note that, unlike other ads, no-one in Art and Van's images engages directly with the car...the auto is incidental to the ski trip to Vail, the European vacation or night at the Metropolitan Opera: it's part and parcel of their lifestyle. The car is not an extra, it makes them who they are...

Fast forward to now...and this banger turns up; and just a few miles away from my home: a personal inspection confirms quality and authenticity, and the deal is done! Thanks to Danny Druck of Druck Auto Sales of Ramsey MN for the work.

UPDATE! The piece has been conserved and restored expertly by the good folks at the Midwest Art Conservation Center at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Highly recommended. The piece has been cleaned completely and all the little dings and coffee/paint splashes removed. It looks amazing.

Here we have a painting from what I see as the peak of Art & Van's work; the 1970 Pontiac line brochure...including some of their most famous images. And I have the cover; doesn't get better than this!

Gouache/acrylic on art board
16" x 19"

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About the Owner

	Ben Heywood Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	November 2009
Last Login:	September 2025
Ebay Id:	eggwood
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Premium Member Q&A Ben's Classifieds Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Comments on this Artwork

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Judge Wall
Member Since 2021

1 - Posted on 1/23/2024

Unbelievable! How awesome are the reflections on the hood?!?

Ben Heywood
Member Since 2009

Posted on 1/23/2024

Judge Wall wrote:

Unbelievable! How awesome are the reflections on the hood?!?

All brush painted!

Duke Fleed aka #1 Groo Fan
Member Since 2013

Posted on 1/23/2024

Beauty!

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

1 - Posted on 1/23/2024

It's like a rolling tank with an MPG of 5! Glossy new car look with mirror finishes and big chrome accents! The interior made of genuine corinthian leather!

artless artmore
Member Since 2013

Posted on 1/24/2024

Pretty! Interesting writeup

Milos K
Member Since 2006

1 - Posted on 5/20/2025

awesome piece!

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