French artist Rene Petit (active in the first half of the 20th Century) designed this oil on canvas painting featuring an animated speed car race. The artist's signature is in the bottom left corner.
The painter shows us here a free interpretation of a view of the Grand Prix of Monaco in 1931. At the wheel of the blue Bugatti type 51 bearing the number 22, the Monegasque Louis Chiron won the race ahead of his rival Rudolf Caracciola and his enormous Mercedes SSKL (Super Sport Short Light-Weight).
Please check the last pictures for information. They are original period photographs of the Bugatti type 51, Louis Chiron, and other views of the 1931 Monaco Grand Prix.
Contemporary framed in an elegant black wood carved and raised frame with silver garland.
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About:
Rene Petit is a French painter from Nice. He was active during the first part of the 20th Century. 
About:
The 1931 Monaco Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at the Circuit de Monaco on 19 April 1931.
With 16 Bugattis in a field of 23 cars, the event was close to being a single-make race. Among the 16 were four factory-team Type 51s driven by the Monegasque Louis Chiron, the Italian Achille Varzi, and the French Albert Divo and Guy Bouriat. The real challenge came from the Maserati 8C 2500, driven by René Dreyfus, the Italian Luigi Fagioli, and Clemente Bondietti. Rudolf Caracciola, with his Mercedes SSKL (Super Sport Short Light-Weight), was uncompetitive as his larger car performed poorly around the tight Monaco track.
The race was between the blue cars from Molsheim and the red ones from Modena. When the start flag dropped, Rene Dreyfus, with his red Maserati, led into St. Devote, only to be passed by "Williams" on the hill to the Casino. His lead was short-lived as the Brit was sidelined by a broken valve spring, and his race was over. Achille Varzi and Caracciola started closing on Dreyfus, and Varzi managed to overtake the Frenchman on the 7th lap. Caracciola struggled with a slipping clutch that gave in on lap 53.
Starting slowly, Louis Chiron eventually displayed his talents, gaining background with a new lap record time. He caught up with all his opponents and left them behind. Chiron, a native of Monaco, finished the race some 5 minutes ahead of Luigi Fagioli.
Jean Bugatti could not control his joy and jumped over the parapet of the bleachers and fell into Louis Chiron's arms. For the Monegasque, this Monaco Grand Prix victory confirmed his reputation.
(Credit: Wikipedia)