Wedstrijd van caricaturen op sport betrekking hebbende. "Optimist" en "Pessimist" Possibly 1897

This 1897 satirical illustration by an anonymous artist depicts the differences between an optimist and a pessimist. Entitled "Wedstrijd van caricaturen op sport betrekking hebbende. “OPTIMIST” en “PESSIMIST”", the image is divided into six panels, with the top three representing the optimist and the bottom three representing the pessimist. Each panel features a different scene related to cycling, but the optimist's scenes are filled with positivity and joy, while the pessimist's scenes are filled with misfortune and despair. The contrasting scenes provide a humorous and insightful commentary on the human tendency to see things either positively or negatively, particularly in the context of sports. This print, likely created for a Dutch publication, offers a unique perspective on optimism and pessimism through the lens of cycling, which was a popular sport at the time.