The Road Rights of Wheelmen

Art Historical Context

Created in 1895 by E. Nadall for Callaghan & Company in, *The Road Rights of Wheel* is a vibrant lithograph poster (sheet: 20 × 14 in.) that captures the exuberant spirit of America's bicycle boom. Printed using lithography—a revolutionary 19th-century technique allowing for bold colors and mass production—this work likely features women cyclists, as suggested by its tags, asserting their presence on the roads. The title advocates for the "road rights" of wheelmen, early cyclists pushing for legal recognition amid growing traffic tensions. The 1890s marked a cycling craze fueled by the safer, chain-driven "safety bicycle," which democratized mobility and symbolized women's emancipation. Skirts shortened, bloomers popularized, and bikes became tools for independence, challenging Victorian norms. Posters like this promoted cycling clubs and lobbied for paved roads and safer passage, reflecting broader social shifts toward recreation, health, and gender equality. Today, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acquired2019 via The Lauder Foundation), this print highlights ephemera as cultural artifacts—affordable advocacy art that rallied a movement. It invites us to pedal back to an era when two wheels sparked revolution.

About the Artist

E. Nadall|Callaghan & Company, Chicago (American| ) · 1850 |1800 –1950 |1950

American, active 1895|