Art, fashion, and engineering collide in “Roaring” at the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Elegant lines, luscious interiors, thoughtful details: These are the elements that turn a vehicle into a work of art. This spring, 10 prime examples of engineering as an art form will be on display alongside pieces demonstrating their impact at the Saint Louis Art Museum as part of Roaring: Art, Fashion, and the Automobile in France, 1918–1939. 

Curated by associate curator of decorative arts and design Genevieve Cortinovis and research assistant Sarah Berg, Roaring, on view April 12–July 27, will bring together more than 100 works of art and design to examine the relationship between French automobiles and the wider visual culture between World War I and World War II. 

“For France, the period between the world wars was one of remarkable creativity and innovation, as well as of artistic and social turbulence,” Cortinovis said in the exhibition announcement. “Roaring is an opportunity to explore this history while going beyond the typical scope of artistic production.”