Grand Prix along the harbour

by Sidney van den Boogaard

A red race car with number 7 tears along the quay, inches from the moored yachts. On the balconies of the pastel houses, residents lean over the railings beneath striped awnings. It is the image of a street race on the Mediterranean, where for one weekend a year the streets become a circuit and the harbour becomes the backdrop. Sunlight sparkles on the water and the boats while the driver focuses on the next corner. A work full of summer, glamour and speed, in soft sand tones and Mediterranean blue.

This work is part of the Golden Racing Years series: ten painterly scenes from the days of leather helmets, roaring engines and crowds lining the track. All the works share the same warm, muted colours and loose brushwork, so they combine easily as a pair, a triptych or a full gallery wall.

The work was created digitally, based on my own concept, composition and colour choices. I then finished it myself: removed badges and logos, refined the crop and added a fine grain and a print-ready colour profile. The cars, drivers and places are fictional and do not refer to real people or brands.

A lovely gift for anyone who smiles at the sound of an old engine: for the study, the garage or above the desk.