The bicycle – the great dress reformer of the nineteenth century! (1895)

Delve into the captivating world of late 19th-century satire with Samuel Ehrhart's delightful illustration titled "The bicycle – the great dress reformer of the nineteenth century!" (1895). This colorful lithograph humorously chronicles the transformative impact of the bicycle on fashion trends, particularly those pertaining to women's attire.Central to the painting is a pair of figures engaged in cheerful conversation by a bicycle. The woman, dressed in a tartan skirt paired with a puffed sleeve blouse, symbolizes a stark departure from the more restrictive and cumbersome dress styles illustrated to the left of the scene. These exaggerated representations of earlier fashion epitomize the impracticality of such attire for cycling, from voluminous skirts to tight bodices.To the right, we see an array of male figures, each sporting different styles of the era, including suits, top hats, and more casual attire. Their presence not only adds variety to the visual narrative but also provides a comparative look at how men’s fashion subtly adapted to practical needs alongside women's attire.Ehrhart's work cleverly uses the bicycle not just as a physical object but as a metaphorical tool of emancipation and progress, influencing the literal and figurative mobility of women. The illustration invites viewers to reflect on the broader implications of such technological innovations on social norms and lifestyle changes.