Peter Helck - Gifted Gallery

Peter Helck, born 17 June 1893, was an American illustrator who specialised in depicting racecars. Helck estimated that he had produced more than 600 sketches, drawings and paintings during his career.

Helck was born in Manhattan, New York. He developed an interest in automobiles at a young age, and as a boy caught rides with the racing driver who tested Simplex cars. Helck attended the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup, held on Long Island. Helck studied art in New York City, where he could observe the new automobiles displayed in showrooms. His first sale was to the Brighton Beach Motordrome, and he was soon receiving commissions from the Sheepshead Bay Speedway.

Helck worked for many of the major automobile magazines, in particular The Autocar; work for which brought him to England, and to major races in France and Italy. During the 1930s Helck was commissioned by the Sinclair Oil Company to produce a large format road map. This map built Sinclair's reputation and helped to promote driving for pleasure. During the mid-1940s, Helck was commissioned by Esquire magazine to create eight paintings depicting early motor racing.

In 1941, Helck acquired the famous Locomobile Old 16 racecar which George Robertson had driven to victory in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup, the first American-made car to win a race against international competition. Helck kept the car in its original paint. In 1945, Helck was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member, and became a full Academician in 1950.

Helck and James Melton with the Old 16

Peter Helck died on 22 April 1988 in Boston Corner, New York. Helck's racecar, the Old 16, was given to his son Jerry, who later sold it to the Henry Ford Museum.

Helck was one of the founding faculty for the Famous Artists School. He had wrote and illustrated many articles during his lifetime along with two books, The Checkered Flag and Great Auto Races.

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