Het rijwiel "nuttig" 1894 - 1959

This vintage print, Het rijwiel "nuttig" by Gordinne, is a real slice of life with its orderly rows of folks on bicycles. The palette is like a faded memory – pastel pinks, blues, and yellows, all softened by time. I imagine Gordinne, maybe a bit of a cyclist themselves, carefully sketching each scene, thinking about how these machines were changing society. Look at the baker with his basket, the postman on his rounds – all these people finding new ways to connect and move through the world. There's a charming optimism here, like these bikes are pedaling us all towards a brighter future. The bikes are so wonderfully rendered, each spoke in its place. It reminds me of those old instruction manuals, detailed yet somehow whimsical. Artists are always responding to the world around them. Gordinne saw the potential in this new technology and captured it with such playful precision. Painting, like riding a bike, is all about balance, isn't it? Finding that sweet spot between intention and improvisation.