"Place de la Concorde"
Title: "Bourdonnais et Rapp"
by Jay Koka, © 2019
44”w x 34”, (110x85cm) acrylic on canvas
private collection

A return to Paris to exhibit in the 2019 RetroMobile show presented the opportunity and inspiration for this newest work. Like "Pres de Champ de Mars" and "Bourdonnais et Rapp" this latest work resulted from a trip into the heart of the city immediately following the close of the show.

I had the opportunity to drive the Place de la Concorde turning circle on my way to the Fedex office and was taken by the wonderful fountains - in between dodging vehicles front and back and each side. Those who have driven the circle will fully appreciate this comment and then wonder how I could have taken a whole series of pictures (which I did) without stopping!


Of course the fountains were off and there were very few people since it was an early morning in February but I wanted a more spring-summer setting for the painting so that I could display the fountains in their full glory. (There are two, the second is at the far right.)

So this painting is my commemoration of a swift and memorable drive around this most famous traffic circle.

Contemplating a vehicle for the painting, the "Tour de France" immediately came to mind and the Patterson Collection's pristine 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France fit perfectly and also somewhat appropriately for the background.

It's certainly in the right neighborhood…

The 44x34" (110x85cm) acrylic on canvas is a major new work. The original painting is in a private collection. A full size canvas reproduction edition is now available.