How do you imagine things will look like one hundred years from now? Minority Report-style interfaces? Teleportation? Universal translators? Or perhaps space colonies… It’s hard to make predictions, right?
100 years ago, French artist Villemard did just that, in a magnificent collection of postcards which Vivento brought to our attention some days ago. They provide a delightful glimpse into the imagination of our great-grandparents, and what they thought the future would look like in the year 2000. The postcards are currently owned by the Bibliothèque nationale de France, who suggests they might have been used to accompany food products, similar to Hildebrand’s chocolate packaging.
Some predictions were rather accurate, others… not so much. Take a look:
An operator would sit in its cubicle, while machines would break rocks and assemble a building.
Firemen had wings to better fight fires!
In the school, books were somehow processed in a machine (with a hand-powered crank) and then transmitted to students.
A chemical dinner – it’s funny how a meal was portrayed in a very elaborate and formal setting, even if food had been condensed into pills and could technically be swallowed in 2 seconds…
At the tailor, measurements would be mechanically taken, and a machine would then produce a suit from rolls of fabric.
Interestingly, some things weren’t going to to change all that much in Villemard’s imagination… like fashion sense! :)
The collection consists of 25 postcards, and they’re all fascinating – with lots of flying machines! You can check them out on Tom Wigley’s set on Flickr.
23 comments so far
Cute article, thanks for sharing these cards!
Very interesting views and such cute cards! Wish they would print them again!
The last picture would certainly be possible, with the new 3D-printer. :)
Interesting postcards...
Very interesting, but the 3rd postcard is a bit scary! :)
This is very fascinating! :) Firemen with wings, cool.
Interesting view on the year 2000.
Especially love the books into brain waves!
Interesting!
These were so fascinating! And I also love to read the science fiction from the late 1800s / early 1900s. Interesting ideas.
It will happen on 22 century.
I actually used this pictures in my history class - to reflect the ongoing industrialisation process. :)
Difficult to predict the future, nice job in these postcards, thanks for sharing!
Another postcards about Paris in the future:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordipostales/2678433218/in/set-72157604819910617
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordipostales/2677615831/in/set-72157604819910617/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordipostales/2677610289/in/set-72157604819910617/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordipostales/2677615831/in/set-72157604819910617/
Intriguing. In 2100 we may have cars that drive themselves, and tricorder type devices (like in Star Trek) to help with medical diagnoses.....
I found the third picture a little bit scary. too!
The article says about 25 cards, but there're only 24 on Flickr...
@emerald_dream true! one must be missing. the description of the 25 cards can be found here: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/En_l'an_2000 (in italian)
I also recommend the works of Albert Robida, an amazing illustrator who predicted many aspects of modern life.
very interesting!
Nice post!
wow.... special designed cards...
How interesting it is!!!! :D :D Thanks for sharing!
Hah,it's really funny!
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