Gemotoriseerde driewielers bij de start van de race Nice-Magagnosc Possibly 1899

This photograph captures gemotoriseerde driewielers—motorized tricycles—at the starting line of the Nice-Magagnosc race. The sepia tones evoke a sense of nostalgia. The eye is drawn to the repetitive forms of the tricycles, their wheels creating a rhythmic visual pattern disrupted by the presence of spectators. Delizy employs a composition where the machines and their riders are tightly packed, suggesting anticipation. The structure is defined by the contrast between the mechanical precision of the tricycles and the organic arrangement of the crowd. This tension destabilizes the conventional viewpoint; machines challenge the human element, reflecting the early 20th-century fascination with technology. Delizy does not merely document the event; he presents a visual narrative deeply embedded in the cultural discourse of progress and modernity. The photograph serves as a historical artifact and a semiotic text, embodying the complex relationship between man, machine, and movement.