Prior to the First World War, sports in Paris were a multifaceted social event. On one side, the inaugural sports federations were established and began to coordinate regulated contests.
Conversely, sports found themselves at the intersection of public spectacle, technological advancement, and the bourgeois sociability characteristic of the late nineteenth century. These remarkable photographs were captured by the Frenchman Jules Beau during 1896 and 1897.
Jules Beau is recognized as the pioneer photographer who specialized in sports photography and disseminated his work to the media. He was a chronicler of “the people’s sports” and was especially drawn to the emerging Parisian fascination with “velocipede,” which rapidly evolved into a competitive sport. His collections are brimming with images of men and women striking poses with their bicycles, much like the ones in these photographs.
h/t: vintag.es