Future Retro Exhibition Landing Page

Drawings from the Great Age of American Automobiles

The design and manufacture of automobiles in the United States, already a significant force prior to 1940, reached new heights immediately following World War II. Americans, both the soldiers abroad and those who had endured the war’s hardships on the home front, had fought for an ideal that came to be known as the “American Dream,” one characterized by prosperity, a family, and a home of one’s own. Part and parcel of this ideal was ownership of a new car, and Detroit rushed to meet the demand. The great age of American automobile design emerged as a response to this new vision of the American way of life.

From preliminary sketches to carefully drafted renderings, from the work of student artists to highly skilled professional designers, from concept renderings to presentation drawings for actual models, the works in this exhibition showcase the beauty and ingenuity of automobile design in the heyday of American manufacture. Whether used to float innovations, showcase new developments, or promote the latest models, these drawings are first and foremost breathtaking examples of graphic art.

This exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Many materials are particularly sensitive to light. Light levels in this exhibition are purposely low to protect the artwork from any damage.