I wrote about Albert Victor Eugène Brenet (1903-2005) here. He was a popular French illustrator and marine painter for many years (French Wikipedia entry here).

He enjoyed going on-site to capture the scenes he wanted, acquiring a sketchy style that he would sometimes use in more formal works and advertising art. Below are some examples.

Gallery

[Image]Le Train Bleu - album cover
The Train Bleu was an express train that whisked tourists to the French Riviera. Milhaud wrote the score for a ballet using it as its setting. The illustration was probably made for other purposes and later used for the album. Below is a similar illustration by Brenet.

[Image]Train Bleu leaving Gare de Lyon
This railroad station is used for trains heading to Provence and other destinations. The illustration used for the album cover shows Train Bleu unloading in Antibes, or perhaps an imaginary, evocative station.

[Image]Basilique Saint-Marc de Venise - c.1960

[Image]Mechaniciens travailant sur un Thunderjet - c.1954
The Armée de l'Air used American F-84s during the early 1950s.

[Image]Directing armored car convoy

[Image]Fuelling a Constellation
Air France flew Constellations in the 1950s before the Jet Age.

[Image]Imperial Airways poster - 1930s
A poster done in a sketchy style. Perhaps this was expected of French illustrators.

[Image]La preparation de l'hydravion

[Image]La wagon restaurant
A dining car scene, probably for a railroad client.