Women's emancipation through the prism of 19th-century bicycles

Contents:

• The Relationship between Society and the Dynamics of Movement: The Athletic Body in Photomagic

Between the 1870s and 1890s, modernity was associated with those who actively moved forward and sought to keep up with new technologies. In this context, the bicycle acted as a tool that significantly expanded people's personal horizons. Culturologist Alexandra Yurgeneva explores cycling and the symbolism contained in the image of a person with a bicycle in photographs. We present to you an excerpt from her book "Man as a Social Body" with the kind permission of NLO Publishing House.

In the publication "Man as a Social Body. European Photography of the Second Half of the 19th Century" examines photographs reflecting the lives of people of various social classes and professions of that time. The author explores how the relationship of Europeans with their corporeality was shaped.

Alexandra Yurgeneva is a candidate of cultural sciences and holds the position of senior researcher in the sector of artistic problems of mass media at the State Institute of Art Studies.

The Interrelationship of Society and the Dynamics of Movement: The Athletic Body in Photomagic

Two main types of images can be distinguished: shots from competitions and portrait photographs. In both cases, the bicycle and its owner form an inseparable union. In portraits, the cyclist, as a rule, holds the handlebars, and the bicycle itself is located in the foreground or slightly shifted to the side, which creates a harmonious composition resembling a triangle or trapezoid. This placement symbolizes the confidence of a person who chooses his own path both on the road and in life. This archetype of the self-sufficient individual replaces the outdated images of the Victorian era. The generation gap, including in the realm of physical practice, is vividly illustrated by the fate of Edmund Dangerfield, one of the founders of the cycling magazine Cycling, which began publication in 1891 and is now called Cycling Weekly. His success in cycling had a negative impact on his relationship with his father, a factory owner.

The bicycle significantly increased the radius of human everyday movement, facilitating access to remote corners of the countryside and offering the city dweller new opportunities for exploration. The freedom of movement it provided made the bicycle an essential tool for a variety of professions, such as postmen, doctors, and country priests.

"With the aid of this terrible device, he [the city dweller - A.Yu.] made his way into the countryside, which for most city dwellers at that time was practically terra incognita."

Bristol Cyclists and Tricyclists' Club. Victorian Cycling.

Undoubtedly, most photographs of cyclists are taken outdoors, but even in studio settings, clients often pose with their bicycles in front of painted landscapes, complete with artificial trees or bushes. This way, cyclists find themselves in a somewhat "natural setting." The importance of getting out of the city and the pressures of city life is confirmed by the story of a Manchester Guardian journalist in 1895, who described meeting a man who spent most of his time in a small, leather-strewn shop. This man enthusiastically shares his impressions of a Sunday ride: "What a wonderful day! I shall always remember it. One day I had to stop and get off my bicycle, as my heart was so full of joy at the sight of the violets growing by the roadside." Cycling allowed for speed and a quick change of experience with relatively little physical exertion compared to, say, running. The German sports physician F. A. Schmidt noted that for many women, fifteen miles on a bicycle is not at all difficult, while even five miles on foot can seem a daunting challenge. He continued to emphasize that cycling is the best form of physical activity for those who would otherwise remain at home. Cyclists could enjoy the changing scenery while covering significant distances. The image of a cyclist perfectly corresponds to the concept of the body as "reflecting images and analyzing them in the context of various influences," outlined in Henri Bergson's work Matter and Memory (1896). This body is dynamic, constantly encountering new objects and reacting to changes in the environment.

This determination to act is clearly evident in photographs of female cyclists, who pose not only confidently holding the handlebars, but also wearing outfits that were truly revolutionary for their time: they can be seen from shortened skirts to bloomers, known as "cycling pantaloons."

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the costume created exclusively for cycling had already acquired a complete look. It included a short jacket worn over a men's shirt and wide trousers known as bloomers.

Kapustina D. The Influence of Cycling Fashion on the Evolution of Women's Tracksuits in the Late 19th — Early 20th Centuries.

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Public opinion often negatively perceives elements of men's clothing used by women, so this style in photography is a bold challenge to traditional ideas and a clear expression of individuality. One of the women, walking around the city in a "comfortable dress", shared her experience as follows:

"... Eight people were extremely interested to know where my tailor was, and even more wanted to know the name of my hatter. A ragged boy ran past and asked: "Could you lend me a match, sir?" A little further down the street, a barber, standing on the step, said: "A shave, sir?" ..."

Chains of freedom: the impact of the bicycle on Britain in the 1890s.

Schmidt, as a representative of medical discourse, raised the issue of comfort of clothing, emphasizing that the needs of the body should come first. He argued that a "practical" dress, such as one with a short skirt, was a true boon, even for women who weren't cyclists. Bicycles played a unique role in women's lives: not only did they offer the opportunity for long journeys, but they also created a special personal space while traveling, something they lacked on public transportation or when riding in a cab. Women could not only choose their own direction but also avoid unwanted contact with fellow passengers, which was inevitable when using public transportation. However, as mentioned earlier, only an uncomfortable traditional dress could protect a cyclist from street criticism. Sport im Bild described an incident near London in which a priest and his wife, dressed in a pantsuit, rode to church on a two-seater bicycle. This caused discontent among the parishioners, but the priest, responding to the criticism, stated that he could not help but want the best for his wife, adding the wisdom: "What a woman wants, God wants." Interestingly, the image of a woman on a bicycle has become an important element in the world of erotic photography. In the archive of Uwe Scheid, one can find a series of photographs created in a photo studio, in which naked models pose against the backdrop of a painted landscape depicting a street. In this collection, two models are perched on a flower-decorated two-seater bicycle, one poses on a tricycle, and the other recreates the scene of a bicycle fall. Thus, the independence of female cyclists is presented in a highly sexualized context. However, this image could not have appeared in the photographs if a similar association with a woman on a bicycle did not exist in the public perception.

For the topic under discussion, photographs that capture moments of bicycle races are of considerable importance: participants at the start or during the competition. In a photograph of the first women's race in England and similar images, one can see the athletes' bodies, along with their bicycles, leaning away from the vertical in the characteristic pose of racers striving for high speed. In another shot, the competitors at the start hold onto the low handlebars, their feet already firmly planted on the pedals, while coaches support this harmonious combination of people and machinery, ready to take off at any moment. Even in studio photographs, cyclists often adopt a riding pose, looking over the handlebars toward the intended route. Here, the human figure completely merges with the "machine," creating a striking union of man and mechanism. These images emphasize the positive side of automation, where mechanism becomes a symbol of human liberation and, in particular, the emancipation of women. However, opponents of cycling considered it a regressive practice for modern humans, who were gifted with upright posture, associating sitting on a bicycle with an animal-like posture. Nevertheless, photographs have survived depicting riders on a wide variety of bicycle models: from the penny-farthing with its huge front wheel and small rear wheel (produced since 1870) to stable tricycles, two-seater tandems, three-seater triplets, and tandems with "trunks" for children. Finally, the "Wanderer" bicycle, with its chain drive, which began production in 1884, is particularly close to modern bicycles. This gallery of various types of bicycle transport reflects the evolutionary development of this mechanical means of transport and illustrates the concept of technical progress that occurs in harmony with man and brings him joy.

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