Gezelschap bij een automobiel op een weg in Frankrijk, mogelijk tijdens onderhoud 1898

This small photograph by Delizy depicts a group of men gathered around an early automobile on a road in France. Without a precise date, we can still locate this image within broader social and institutional contexts. Note the attire of the men: top hats and tailored suits. This suggests the novelty of automobility was, at this time, primarily an activity for the upper classes. The photograph offers a glimpse into the dawn of the automotive age, when these complex machines required frequent maintenance, often performed roadside. The photograph itself also exists within a social context. The rise of photography as both a technology and an art form shaped how people documented and perceived the world. Delizy’s choice to capture this scene speaks to the fascination with modernity and progress that characterized the era. Historians consult a range of resources—from personal letters to technical manuals—to fully understand the complex relationship between technology, society, and art.