Gamy Montaut, Ernest Montaut

Hand-colored pochoir print from Ernest and Gamy Montaut.

• Depicts early 20th century French motorized bicycles manufactured by Alcyon.
• Framed and glazed.
• Published by Mabileau & Co., Paris.

Gamy-Montaut prints document various historical events in the early history of transportation, including power boat racing, motorcycle and motor car racing, motor car touring, zeppelins and tennis.

Having observed the rapidly growing interest in cars and racing during the early years of motor cars, Ernest Montaut produced his first motoring prints in the mid-1890s, and by 1897, his drawings were pictorial records of the many races in France. Montaut's work was extremely well received in the Paris of his day and was shown in the fashionable shops of the Rue de l'Opera and Rue de la Paix, as well as in the better galleries.

Marguerite Montaut, Ernest's wife, joined him in his work, producing not only racing prints but also developing a fine series of aviation prints commemorating such events as the first flights on the early European mail routes. While Marguerite Montaut's works were occasionally signed "M. Montaut," she also used the name "Gamy," an anagram for Maggie.

The Gamy-Montaut prints were all produced by the pochoir process in which the outlines for each image were drawn onto lithographic stones and printed. Using these uncolored prints as a template, elaborate stencils were cut for each color. Watercolor was then brushed onto the image through the stencil. The coloring process was quite complex, with each print taking several days to produce. It was also quite labor intensive, and the studio of Gamy-Montaut therefore employed a group of trained artists, including Nevil and Campion, to assist in the coloring.