Got another Hudson book. This one doesn’t have many cars I haven’t seen before, but all of the illustrations are clear and high-res, suitable for closeup views.
This ’39 shows the graceful detailing of stamped parts, typical of the Moderne era. The parking lights were horizontal strips on the hood sides.
Closeup view of the delicate stairstep tapers on each chrome strip. Fine art doesn’t require costly handwork for each piece. It does require fine creativity by the tool and die designers. We’ve abandoned both levels of art. Everything is plain black rectangles now.
Here’s the back of the ’39 with the high taillights that were briefly in fashion. Graham, Olds and Chevy also had high taillights for one or two years. This picture reveals that promo pics were taken in a white studio with people and props near the car. Later the retoucher filled in elegant or woodsy backgrounds, generally from the Detroit area.
The ’46-47 is my favorite Hudson in artistic terms. The overall shape is jazzy and syncopated, and the two-tone color scheme is just right. Hudson went wild on lighting in those years. The hood-side lights were still there, now serving as brand-symbol triangles, the coat of arms on the grille was illuminated, and the regular parking lights and turn signals were on top of the fenders.
When products are beautiful, everyone involved with the product takes a bit of pride. The designers, tool and die makers, photo retouchers and assembly line workers all participated in making these graceful things. Not just cars but houses and appliances. Now the designers and makers are all in China, and the products are drab and utilitarian.
Polistra's Mill 