Toeschouwers en deelnemer bij de automobielrace Parijs-Madrid, vermoedelijk op een landweg in Frankrijk Possibly 1903 - 1924

Curator: This sepia-toned photograph, possibly from sometime between 1903 and 1924, captures a scene related to the Paris-Madrid automobile race, snapped along a country road, likely in France. It's titled "Toeschouwers en deelnemer bij de automobielrace Parijs-Madrid, vermoedelijk op een landweg in Frankrijk," which translates to "Spectators and participant in the Paris-Madrid automobile race, presumably on a country road in France." Editor: There’s something haunting about this. It’s grainy, of course, given its age, but the landscape almost blends with the sky. The car appears tiny on the road, which then dwarfs everything else. The road almost disappears to the horizon. The presence of the car feels almost intrusive, against the landscape. Curator: Interesting that you say that. Consider the societal context. The automobile was a rapidly developing technology, seen as a symbol of progress and modernity. Photographing the race isn't merely documenting a sporting event; it's about capturing that historical moment of technological advancement shaping the European landscape and collective imagination. Photojournalism coming of age in many ways. Editor: Yes, but that advancement came with tangible labor. Look at the construction of that automobile, the making and import of the rubber tyres, the extraction of petrol, and then its consumption. It also demands a whole industry to support it and a large amount of support staff from manufacturers to maintain it and make it run for the racers. It shows just how consumer habits changed rapidly at this point to require such infrastructures. Curator: True, and notice the spectators, seemingly from various social classes, judging by their attire. This event would be accessible to a diverse audience. Their presence signifies how deeply this event permeated society at large. The staging, in some ways, reflects society’s shift. Editor: Precisely. Think about the labor involved in producing those clothes they are wearing. All mass-produced, using machinery and exploited workers at various steps, from the field, to the manufacturer and then their presence signals a shift from consumption-focused behaviours instead of community building. These landscapes aren't timeless idylls, but highly curated ones—repurposed by technology. Curator: Ultimately, it's more than a photograph of a race; it's a social commentary captured in time. Editor: Yes. The dirt under the spectator’s shoes, the rubber beneath those cars, a document that captures it all in stark detail for us.