Forty years after the release of his film "Le Mans" in September 1971, Steve McQueen is the subject of a photo exhibition in Paris until 11th December 2011.

On July 12, 1963, Life magazine published an article devoted to Steve McQueen. At that time, the actor starred in "The Great Escape", which had just been released in movie theatres in the United States and would consolidate his status as a superstar after the success of the "Magnificent Seven", released three years earlier. Life photographer John Dominis followed Steve McQueen in his intimacy with his wife Neile and his children Terri and Chad (aged four and one at the time) at his home in Palm Springs, and even at shooting practice in the desert. Many of the images on show at the Galerie de l’Instant offer surprising insights. Motor sports are not absent either, especially a motorcycle race in the Mojave Desert.

Two pictures are of Steve McQueen driving his Jaguar XK SS, the road version of the D Type. The latter had won three consecutive wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1955-1956-1957). Marketed in 1957, the Jaguar XK SS woud have a production of only sixteen copies, following the fire that destroyed its factory at Brown's Lane, destroying nine of the 25 cars already assembled, and also spare parts of all models. Today, the XK SS Jaguar is one of the most rare, estimated at over two million dollars. The Steve McQueen's is currently on display at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles.

The photo exhibition "Steve McQueen The King of Cool" is at the Galerie de l’Instant (Paris) 30th September to 11th December. for more information, click here.

Jean-Philippe Doret

Photo : Steve McQueen at the wheel of his Jaguar XK SS on Sunset Boulevard.