En L’An 2000 was a series of images created between 1899 and 1910 that imagined Parisian life in the 21st century. They were originally intended for the World’s Fair and to go into cigarette packs and cigar boxes. Some postcards were even created.
It is believed that none of the cards were ever distributed, however, and the only known surviving prints were discovered by sci-fi legend Isaac Asimov in 1986. He used them in a non-fiction book called Futuredays: A Nineteenth Century Vision of the Year 2000.
51 of the 87 known works can be found on Wikimedia Commons. Let’s dig through most of them here and go on a magical journey to the year 2000:
It’s a lot like now, but everything will involve flight…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…like the bus. The bus will fly, of course.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
It only makes sense that you would take that flying bus to the museum. Hey, maybe the museum will look like a giant glass pyramid… Nah, that’d be crazy.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Maybe you grab a drink along the way, if you’re driving yourself…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…or maybe you’re coming to Paris from out of town.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
In that case, you’ll need a cab.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Oh, and you’ll arrive at your hotel via the roof.
Paris isn’t all fun and games, though. Danger is always lurking….
Future War is Gonna be Nuts!
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Oh no! Our sentinel has spotted an intruder! He calls for help!…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…but the aviation police are super busy right now…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…and the other cops are chasing down a smuggler. We’re gonna have to call in the bigger guns…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…like a friggin’ torpedo plane.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Now, we’ve got ourselves a proper battle – and not just in the air…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…but also at sea…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…and even on land.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Oh, man! That was brutal. So much destruction.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Better call in the flying fire brigade.
Now we can all go back to work. Stay tuned for that after the jump….
Time to go back to work.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Farmers are farming by wire.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Steampunk chicken nuggets will be super tasty.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Architecture is available at the push of a button.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
That robot tailor is about to stab that guy in the dick.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
The postman always wings twice.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
The kids head off to school to be infused with books.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
The new-fangled barber is getting his trim on.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Chefs are making this wonderful new food that makes you thin and gives you lots of energy called Pepaphetamine. It’s the best!
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Maids use a magic wand (that is absolutely not a vibrator) to control brooms and mops. Man, they did not see the Roomba coming.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
However, scientists will make the most of this new technology…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…and all of their hard work will enable the rest of us to find new types of more leisurely work.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Check out this dude working on his cat blog. These wires will combine to form a type of inter-web that will enable us to share so many LOLs.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…and porn. We’ll probably use the majority of this technology for porn… sweet, Victorian porn.
More leisure (including an unexpected jaunt underwater) after the jump!
It’s time to play!
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Tennis on the ground is for poor people.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Hey! Let’s shoot the dudes in the red coats!
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
I wonder if they’re out hunting? I wonder if they’ll try to shoot the dog wranglers again? Oh well, I’d better get ready for my date with Roger.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Electric roller-skates are the best. And so is Roger – great guy.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
After roller-skating, we’ll head to the theater, where they’ve finally figured out a way to replace those lousy musicians. I wonder what the kids are up to?
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Hope they aren’t messing with those damn mega-eagles again….
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Forget all those fish – I want to catch a seagull in the most intricate way possible.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Croquet sucks. Wanna have a race?
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Naturally, the best way to race underwater is on a giant seahorse… Because it’s a horse. Get it?
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
…though I find fish to be much quicker.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Oh, shit! We better GTFO!
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / US-PD
Time to take this Whale-Bus back to 2016/1910.
h/t: Twisted Sifter, The Public Domain Review
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