En l'An 2000: French Future Soldiers on Electric Military Motorcycles

From the celebrated French 'En l'An 2000' (In the Year 2000) postcard series, this chromolithograph envisions futuristic military reconnaissance soldiers racing along a country road on steam- or electric-powered tricycle motorcycles fitted with elaborate mechanical apparatuses. The riders wear distinctive golden helmets and dark uniforms, suggesting a militarized tomorrow. Created around 1900-1910, this series by Villemard or associated artists became iconic early retro-futurist visions of mechanized warfare and transportation.