Flying Machines Allow Your Lover a Quick Escape (1901)

 

It doesn't get much better than saucy French futurism, does it? These illustrations of futuristic flying machines from 1901 are quite similar to both the German and French personal flying machines we've looked at from this era.

I find the electric lights adorning her hat and dress quite beautiful. Early electric light and the way it was described in such poetic terms at the turn of the twentieth century truly leaves me in awe. Strangely enough, I caught myself asking, "but where is the power source for those lights?!?!!" all the while ignoring how absurd a system of dangerously placed propellors and wings would be for human flight. 

If my universal language translator can be trusted (actually, I used Babelfish), "au siecle prochain," means "in the next century," and "comment on suivra les femmes," translates to, "how women will be followed." The illustration below appears to be of a lover making his hasty escape out the window, as madame's husband arrives home. 

Below are images from previous blog posts on German postcards (circa 1900) and French prints (1910). A special thanks to Scott Lesch for the black and white images above.

Previously on Paleo-Future:

• Flying Machines (circa 1885)
• Boy's Flying Machine of the Twentieth Century (1900)
• Postcards Show The Year 2000 (circa 1900)
• French Prints Show the Year 2000 (1910)
• What May Happen in the Next Hundred Years (Ladies Home Journal, 1900)

Comments

[Maxwell Hammer]

"comment on suivra les femmes," translates to, "how women will be followed."

A little bit more loosely translated, but truer to the spirit of the colloquialism, would be "How women will be chased."

[Liam]

The b/w ones look more like they're meant to be tongue-in-cheek, though.

[Bob]

Shouldn't "comment on suivra les femmes" be translated "how we'll follow women"?

[opstand]

I guess that last postcard depicts an alternate universe in which the French invested R&D funds heavily into rewriting the laws of aerodynamics instead of jet propulsion.

[John s.]

The second French one says "the arrival of the husband - the flight of the lover.".

[Jimmy Chapman]

I love how they all have wings! nice touch, I could use that when im stuck in traffic or frankly just didnt want to walk! Although ive never been good at languages, Id have to bring in a translation agency or I would be trying forever.
Made me chuckle thanks.

[Karl]

There must have been a lot less gravity in the early twentieth century...

[Henry]

The second French one says "the arrival of the husband - the flight of the lover.".
:) :)

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