PRESS 'ZOOM' ABOVE TO SEE A MUCH BIGGER VERSION. PLEASE TAP ANY OF THE SMALL IMAGES JUST ABOVE FOR MORE VIEWS AND OTHER GEMS FROM THIS SERIES.
Art by the legendary and delightful Norwegian artist, Fred Lammers. By exclusive arrangement with The Grand Review. Print size 24 x 18, and consciously formatted to work with a standard 18 x 24 store bought frame, or custom framed as you see fit.
POPE FRANCIS… The TOUR DE FRANCIS Series
This represents the first collaborative venture between The Grand Review studios and the inimitable illustrator Fred Lammers.
Fred knew that I was a fan, and I was never shy or quiet about how much I truly dug his work. From that and via the magic of the internet, we’ve become friends. A few years back, being that our studios are here in Philadelphia and the new Pope was coming for a much touted visit, I asked Fred if he would consider creating a series that tipped the hat to this Francis fellow and the new super weapon he had unleashed onto the world in general, and onto the Catholic world specifically. Humor. Pope Francis sort of tossed in this love bomb thing, and he did it with a grin, and it threw everybody off balance just long enough for alotta people to forget that they hated each other. Neither me or Fred are Catholic in any way, shape or form, but as I was so fascinated by this guy, Fred agreed to give it a whirl.
The process of working together was a real hoot, and the first prints to come out of it were the surfer Pope LP cover and of course, the most easily recognizable car in the world alongside the Batmobile and the VW Beetle… the Popemobile! Of course, Fred’s Popemobile is based on a stretched Meyers Manx dune buggy and has a 1961 looking Italian secret service agent suited up as the driver, and that is exactly what I was hoping he’d bring to the project.
The TOUR DE FRANCIS series is small. Only 11 pieces. In an interview at the time with the news media, I made it clear that everything we were doing was celebratory, not in any way disrespectful, and that 50 years from now I’d like to imagine people will look upon this work and smile as broadly then as they do now.
The venerable Historical Society of Pennsylvania purchased one copy each of the whole series for their permanent collection and we still sell these, regularly, to all sorts of folks, now two years after the Pope Francis mothership touched down along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
A last note, just for fun. He stayed at the St. Charles Borromeo seminary which is literally around the corner from the ancient carriage house where our studios are on the western edge of Philadelphia. We had gifted one of these works to them a few months before, to the delight of all according to their thank you letter. Me and my wife and two doggies walked over to see his helicopter lift off. It was behind the huge, thick hedges, and the trees and bushes were really whipping about from the wind as it made ready to ascend. To our utter astonishment, one of those crazy Canadian four prop tilt wing military aircraft flew up into the air with Francis aboard. Suddenly the whole world become THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!!!
Some of the works are in the LP size, but the majority are not. Treat yourself and a few friends to a few examples from the series. They
were and are instant classics!
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Well... Me and Fred had been discussing another variation of the Popemobile. Why not? Next to the Batmobile, the Popemobile is the most recognizable vehicle in the world. No matter what the actual vehicle is based on, if it is white, has the Pope in the back waving and a focused driver up front, it is the Popemobile.
When Fred sent this latest, it was a circular concept for a sticker. I immediately asked him to develop it into a full size print and worked on the copy. Yes, I whooped with joy when it all came together, and here are the results.
For those of you that don't know, there are traffic jams predicted with the coming of our Pope Francis to Philly. One of the main traffic arteries in the region is the Schuylkill Expressway, beloved by many and less loved by anyone sitting in gridlock on it. That said, is follows our amazing, historic Schuylkill River with some of the most beautiful inner city views anywhere in the country.
Though it has become one of the most important and busy rowing rivers in the world, you'll never be stuck in river traffic except perhaps during the Dad Vail or the Stotesbury Regattas. Well, Pope Francis has proved himself over and over to be an innovator, so bring on the Pope's CanoeMobile!!!
NOTE... the other prints are here for reference. They are a part of the same series!
SHIPPING
All prints are shipped in a sturdy mailing tube for $8, which covers postage, tube and S & H.
BUYING MORE THAN ONE PRINT? Add a second print or any number thereafter of this or any other prints in our catalog and shipping is still just $8, total!!!
International shipping is available and reasonable. Please contact us for details.
We make every effort to ensure our customers are not just satisfied but thrilled with everything we do, and we happily stand 100% behind our work.
