Motocycles Comiot 1899

This lithographic poster was created by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen to advertise Motocycles Comiot in Paris. At first glance, we see a modern woman confidently riding a motorbike, but look closer at the flock of geese scattering before her. Throughout history, the goose has been a symbol of vigilance and domesticity, linked to the sacred in ancient cultures. Think of the geese whose honking alerted the Romans to the invading Gauls! But here, Steinlen presents them as creatures disrupted by new technologies, their peace shattered by the motorbike's intrusion. The geese are unsettled, like an old world resisting the new. This echoes the broader cultural anxieties of the era, as rapid industrialization transformed society. The poster becomes a potent symbol of modernity's disruption of traditional values. This visual tension engages us even now, tapping into our collective memory of a world in constant flux, inviting us to reflect on progress and its cost.