Expositie van fietsen tijdens de wereldtentoonstelling te Antwerpen 1894

This photograph by Th. Lantin captures a bicycle exposition at the World Fair in Antwerp. The image is rich with detail about the relatively new technology of bicycle production and the social context in which it was presented. The bicycles are largely made of steel, shaped through processes like forging, welding, and machining. Note the scale of production: rows upon rows of bicycles. Each one represents considerable manual labor, from the mining of the ore to the assembly of the finished product. Yet, they are displayed here as objects of leisure and technological progress, appealing to a growing consumer culture. The photograph itself, also a product of industrial processes, serves to document and promote this new form of transportation. It is a reminder that even seemingly straightforward images are deeply embedded in histories of labor, materials, and social aspirations. By considering these factors, we gain a fuller understanding of the complex relationship between art, industry, and society.