Toeschouwers bij de automobielrace Parijs-Vienne bij hun op een stoep geparkeerde voertuigen 1902 - 1906

Curator: This gelatin-silver print, simply titled "Toeschouwers bij de automobielrace Parijs-Vienne bij hun op een stoep geparkeerde voertuigen," captures a moment from between 1902 and 1906. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The stillness of it is striking, like pausing a whirlwind. You can almost hear the roar of the engines and the chatter of the crowd in anticipation. I get a distinct feeling of technological optimism, a world hurtling forward, captured in sepia. Curator: Yes, photography was increasingly documenting such modern marvels. The image reveals the symbiosis of the spectator and the spectacle. Consider how the automobile, initially a privilege, quickly became an object of fascination and a symbol of social transformation. Editor: Absolutely, they’re objects of aspiration! They gleam there, all lined up, like shiny mechanical steeds, waiting to bolt. And the people—look how they preen. The vehicles are clearly extensions of the owners. Curator: Note, too, how the realism is tinged with romanticism; the soft focus, the gentle gradation of tone – these elements hint at something beyond pure reportage. It suggests that these cars transcend being mere machines and start becoming cultural artifacts. Editor: Right. There’s an elegance despite their clunkiness that’s so seductive. I suppose it’s similar to how we now view the dawn of the digital age through the lens of obsolete computers and technologies. We see promise and nostalgia woven together. It’s exciting and comforting. Curator: A convergence of past and future, documented and dreamed of... Editor: Like a premonition. Curator: Exactly! Editor: Wonderfully stated!