Film
Two hundred years ago in June 1817, Karl Freiherr von Drais from the German state of Baden took the first ride on one of his ‘running machines’ – inventions we now celebrate as the earliest form of the bicycle. To mark this notable anniversary, the Kunstbibilothek of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin has chosen around 80 objects from its graphic design, fashion image, and photography collections that focus on the bicycle. The items provide a glimpse of the bicycle’s turbulent history – from early velocipedes to cult objects of the 21st century – and also trace its development in terms of graphic form, photographic aesthetics, and fashion trends over the last two centuries.