Bicycle Art from Posters to Paintings
The first piece of Bicycle Art ever created was probably drawn by Leonardo Da Vinci about 500 years ago. That model is far different than last one Lance Armstrong rode to victory in the Tour de France. Bikes have come a long way but they do not go out of fashion when it comes to the vintage posters of framed art.
Engineering Marvel
Bikes are very energy efficient, they can carry up to 10 times their own weight yet it takes relatively little energy to make it go. While bicycles are an engineering marvel they are simple machines. Albert Einstein loved to ride his bike and remarked, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
Mark Twain Quote
Other quotes about bicycles came from Mark Twain who said, “Learn to ride a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live.” And Helen Keller “Toleration is the greatest gift of the mind; it requires the same effort of the brain that it takes to balance oneself on a bicycle.”
There is a lot of commercial artwork that advertises bicycles but bikes of all kinds are found in fine art including Picasso and Marcel Duchamp. The interesting thing about bicycles is that bikes themselves are works of art having “machine aesthetic.” The bicycle has fashions depending on its use such as a BMX bike or folding bike. The beach cruisers look great and even they come in a variety of styles but all are completely different from Lance Armstrong’s racing bikes which are highly engineered.
The French poster artwork from the late 1800s featured bicycles commonly had nude or partially clothed females. The most famous bicycle poster of that period was done by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Today those posters are probably the most desirable bicycle art commanding high prices from wealthy patrons. They are valuable now because they were not common outside Paris back in the day. For art collector purposes that raises the price not just for the artistic quality but because they are rare.
Development of Bicycle Art
Fine art includes many examples of scenes with bicycles present. Toulouse-Lautrec painted more than bike posters; he also completed an entire series of bike racing and the race’s observers. My point is that from the very beginning bicycles were present in artwork by notable artists including James Lavery, Jean Beraud, and J. Waterston Herald. The trend to include all kinds of bicycles in art continues to this day whether comfort bikes or mountain bikes the subject matter has been popular for over a century and continues to grow with the bicycling industry.
Other Art of Interest
Web Gallery of Art
The Web Gallery of Art has Psychedelic art, King Kong Art, Photography Art, Graffiti Art, ASCII Art, Life Magazine Covers, and Landscape Art.
Psychedelic Art & Album Art
Psychedelic Art & Album Art advertised music and concerts and a lifestyle with LSD.
Life Magazine Covers
This collection of glamorous Life Magazine Covers has Robert Redford, Johnny Cash, Route 66, Christian Dior Dress, Ballroom Dancers for sale.
Photography Art
Photography Art has a rich history with Edward Steichen, Yousuf Karsh, and Aperture Magazine; today's digital cameras, stock agencies turn computers into "darkrooms".
Landscape Paintings
The landscape paintings art gallery features a variety of styles, places and colors that should not be missed.
Art Deco Jewelry
Vintage Art Deco jewelry is one of the most exciting areas of antique art development. It started in France using geometrical design forms and bright colors.
Art Deco Furniture
The vintage Art Deco furniture movement started in France so design could abolish the curve and move away from foreign influences.
King Kong Art
King Kong Art is inspired by the greatest monster in motion picture adventure movies. The final scene with Fay Wray on the Empire State building in New York is a classic.
Graffiti Art
Create your own colorful graffiti art by typing in your text and save the image to your computer free.
ASCII Art Gallery
The ASCII Art Gallery is more than symbols because it is communication in text and other ASCII art small messages that expressing emotions.
To check out other artwork (including sexy shoes) by Doug Dourgarian and see more links for his online art gallery click here for his web gallery of art .
Click here to leave Bicycle Art for more links to artistic styles, artists and their online art galleries, art prints and art posters. Browse the links found at the bottom of Home Page.
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