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Title: Semaine d’Aviation de Touraine |
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Description: As aviation defined itself as the engineering fete of the early twentieth century its popularity exploded and demand to witness these dazzling new mechanical marvels surged. Events like Semaines d’Aviation, or Aviation Weeks, abounded throughout Europe and most notably within France, Europe’s – and arguably the world’s – aviation hub. Perhaps the most famous Semaine d’Aviation was the Semaine d’Aviation de la Champagne. As one American newspaper put it, “The Great Aviation Week is over and the history of the world is turning round that week.” Held in 1909 in Reims, France, it was the first ever international air meeting. The event was both a major aviation spectacle and an exercise in pure opulence. Photographs show luxurious grandstands, press boxes, and banquet halls. Archival records detail a staggering |
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activity schedule, listing as many as 38 different fetes in a two-hour period – approximately one fete every three minutes. Many records were memorably shattered at the event including Henri Farman’s breaking of his own distance record: travelling 111.78 miles in 3 hours and 5 minutes, Farman won the Grand Prix de la Champagne and a Michelin Cup. Glenn Curtiss also walked away a winner, receiving the 1909 Gordon Bennett Trophy at the event. The event was also truly one to see and be seen. A local daily from the event printed every morning and circulated around the grounds, captured les instantanes du jour or “the moments of the day.” Photographs show well-dressed men and affluent men leisurely strolling around the event grounds. A photo of deux jolies baigneures, or two beautiful bathers, scantily clad in bathing suits underscore the ubiquitous glamour of the event. This poster advertises a quieter Semaine d’Aviation in the French countryside. Held April 30 - May 5, 1910, the Semaine d’Aviation de Touraine, or the Aviation Week of Touraine was hosted in Tours, France. Tours is a beautiful village in the Touraine province situated in France’s famous Loire Valley. That the Loire Valley is most famous for wine and not for aviation, might explain why there is little known information about this particular Semaine d’Aviation – ostensibly, a more minor happening on the French aviation circuit. The Loire Valley had been known since the Middle Ages as “The Garden of France,” a theme aptly illustrated by artist Lucien Leduc’s imagery: “That reputation is openly manifested in the Leduc poster, a sweetly-sentimental promotional ploy that candy coats progress in such a manner as to make it immediately attractive to those who may not otherwise be apt to embrace it.” Despite the prevalence of “world altering technology” Leduc portrays an idyllic Tours. Lush forest fauna envelopes a beautiful maiden as she offers of welcoming gesture with the extension a branch towards the airplane pilot flying overhead. Contrary to the sunny and ideal setting advertised in the poster’s background, the event was all but rained out as “bad weather marred the event,” creating poor field conditions and impeding any hopes for breaking records. |
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