CARLO DEMAND 11/1921 - 1/2000 | |
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Biography by Gary Doyle. Carlo was born on November 21, 1921 in Frankfurt/Main, Germany to a French father and a German mother. His interest in art and machinery developed at an early age and he was encouraged by his parents to pursue his interests. A sketchbook exists which Carlo started when about 6 years old. His early drawings included cars, scenery, cowboys and Indians and portraits of the family. His first drawing was done at the age of three. Carlo's large extended family kept him well supplied with automobiles to sketch. Various uncles owned a De Soto, Buick, Chenard-Walcker and an Austro-Daimler. He was also exposed to Tom Mix movies which he enjoyed throughout his life. His uncles took him to air shows and automobiles races. By the age of 16 he was enrolled in the prestigious Staedel Academy of Art in Frankfurt. He spent 5 years at the Staedel as a master student and also worked for periodicals, sports clubs, magazines, newspapers, industrial firms and the like. His first published drawing was a charcoal for a Frankfurt newspaper in 1938. It was of a Mercedes W-154 Grand Prix Car. This is roughly the same time that Hans Liska and Theo Metejko are also publishing in German newspapers and Carlo was highly influenced by these two German artists. All three of them would focus on various forms of machinery...cars, tanks, boats, airplanes and airships. Because of his Alsatian descent, he was drafted into the military when Alsace was annexed in 1943. Carlo served the German army in Frankfurt, Poland and the western front. He subsequently joined up with the allies and finished the Second World War in the French Army. He was able to return to Frankfurt in 1946. He went to work for an advertising agency, then received a position with the art section of the U.S. Army Recreation Service. They were responsible for publicizing all recreational and sports programs. For the last several years, he served as chief of the section. In his off-duty time, he did commercial art and illustrations for book covers, magazines and newspapers. By 1972 he was doing this free-lance work for major multi-national companies. Carlo continued to work and paint 10 to 14 hours a day for the rest of his working life. He retired from painting in 1991 and moved to the United States with his wife of 50 years, Margaret. Carlo published several books on his artwork. His work was usually illustrating a narrative written by others. The Big Race was published in 1955. Carlo did 128 charcoal drawings to illustrate the history of automobile racing from 1894 to 1955. Subsequent books were on airplanes, trucks, dirigibles, tanks, paddle-wheel steamers, motorcycles and the Mercedes car. The most popular of the books has been Conquerors of the Air: The Evolution of Aircraft, 1903-1945. Before his death, Carlo was a founding member of the Automobile Fine Arts Society and routinely exhibited at Pebble Beach at the time of The Concours d'Elegance. He has also shown at Meadowbrook and numerous one-man shows, primarily in Europe. He is in numerous collections, both private, public and corporate. Throughout his life, Carlo continued to provide illustrations for publications. These ranged from Motor Trend to Auto Motor und Sport. Auto firms that he has done work for include Daimler Benz, Volkswagen, Auto Union, Ford, Renault and Volvo. He is on of the best-documented automotive artists ever. The bulk of his work has appeared in print. The only exception is the gouache work on pre-1960 auto racing. | |
Paintings are available for sale, some in orginal, other as prints. For details contact Gary Doyle Click on a picture to enlarge. | |
 | This charcoal image shows everything what racing was about back in 1934; the old technology meeting the new - Grand Prix cars and Voiturettes. Luigi Fagioli (3.4 litre Mercedes-Benz W25) is passing Henri Durand (1.5 litre Bugatti T37A). The Grand Prix and Voiturette classes were run at the same time on the Nürburgring that day and Durand had entered his private Bugatti in the latter. He finished 10th in his class while Fagioli abandoned his car on the track in disgust, after having received team orders during the pit stop. |
 | Even if it has gone 69 years since this event, Monaco is easly recognizable for everyone. This gouache painting shows Luigi Fagioli in a Mercedes-Benz W25B in front of René Dreyfus (or Chiron?) in a Ferrari entered Alfa Romeo Tipo B at the 1935 Monaco GP. They finished first and second in the race. |
 | This picture shows Rudi Caracciola at the 1935 French Grand Prix at the Monthléry motodrome, near Paris. Rudi was victorious that day in his Mercedes-Benz W25B after a fierce duel with his teammate Fagioli. Made in charcoal this work of art shows the speed and clear lines of a 1930s Mercedes. |
 | Tazio Nuvolari (4.1 litre Alfa Romeo 12C-36) and Bernd Rosemeyer (6 litre Auto Union) at the 1936 Eilerennen. Nuvolari initially led the race but as the fog settled on the Nürburgring, Rosemeyer took over, dominating in the hard conditions. After the race, Rosemeyer became known as the "Nebelmeister" (fog master). |
 | Rudi Caracciola (Mercedes-Benz), Bernd Rosemeyer (Auto union), Tazio Nuvolari (Alfa Romeo), German GP 1937. Three legendary drivers, three legendary cars. Rudi won, Bernd finished third after a broken hub cap forced him to do an early pit stop and Tazio finished 4th. |
 | Hermann Lang (Mercedes-Benz streamliner) leading Bernd Rosemeyer (Auto Union streamliner) on the banked Nordkurve in the final of the 1937 AVUS Rennen at Berlin. The "wall of death" was built with a surface of red bricks and it had a banking of 43°. The Lang went on to win this spectacular race run to the free formula. Rosemeyer suffered from engine problems to finish 4th. |
 | Another classic duel, this time at the 1937 Monaco Grand Prix between Rudi Caracciola and Manfred von Brauchitsch, the latter driver being victorious. Alfred Neubauer was furiously giving signals to von Brauchitsch to let Caracciola pass but von Brauchitsch replied by sticking out his tongue to the Mercedes team manager. |
 | This gouache painting shows Caracciola (Mercedes-Benz W154) and Hans Stuck (Auto Union D) at the 1938 Swiss GP. Caracciola raced an experimental car with a large saddle tank and extra air intakes and went on to win the rainy race. Stuck finished in 4th position.. |
 | In an attempt to secure an Italian victory the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix was raced to the 1.5 litre voiturette formula. However, Mercedes-Benz contructed the W165 in only seven months and Hermann Lang took the new car to victory in the only race it ever entered. |