Raphaël Kirchner – 4 Art Nouveau “all Heil” Postcards, Cyclists, 1900

Raphaël Kirchner (1875–1917)
Set of four illustrated postcards—bicycle theme
Circa 1900

A beautiful set of four vintage postcards illustrated by Raphaël Kirchner, a leading draftsman and illustrator of the Belle Époque and Art Nouveau periods.

The four compositions feature bicycles and elegant female cyclists, a subject emblematic of women’s emancipation and modern leisure activities in the late 19th century.

Three postcards depict young women on bicycles in various poses, while the fourth shows a couple of cyclists in a nighttime scene illuminated by lanterns.

The postcards bear the printed signature “Raphaël Kirchner” within the composition.

This set is particularly interesting for its uniformity: the postcards were sent to the same recipient in Namur (Belgium) and retain their 5-centime Belgian stamps on the back, as well as their postmarks from July 1900. Some also feature handwritten text on the front. Old postcards were written on the front—not the back—due to a former postal rule: the back was strictly reserved for the address and the stamp.

Dimensions: 14 × 8.8 cm each.

Condition: generally good condition for postcards that were in circulation over 120 years ago. Stamps and postmarks preserved. The colors of the illustrations have remained particularly vivid.

Sold only as a set of four cards.