These vintage snapshots show cars have always been part of the American dream
- Two French photographers collected random photos of Americans
- The photos show off people and their cars from the 1950s to the ’70s
- All of the photos are anonymous, leaving them with an air of mystery
Published on May 15, 2025 at 6:57 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on May 14, 2025 at 6:43 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
A pair of French artists and photographers have created a book out of vintage snapshots showing how American cars have evolved.
Sylvie Meunier and Patrick Tourneboeuf produced the book “American Dream” in 2017, using vintage photos they had purchased at various locations.
The photos were simply of Americans standing with their cars. They showcase the evolution of both the car and life in the United States at the same time.
They provided fascinating snapshots into a different way of life, as well as showing just how far automotive development has come over the years.
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The images that the photographers have collected stretch from the 1950s to the 1970s.
To acquire the photos, the two French photographers visited a vast number of flea markets, estate sales, and online auctions.
They did this over several years, finding some anonymous, square-format snapshots of people with their cars.
Once acquired, the two released a book with all the images they had collected.
There is a wide array of cars and vehicles in the images, from pickup trucks to classic American sedans.
Meunier and Tourneboeuf wanted to showcase lifestyles, freedom, and identity through ordinary lives via the automobile.
None of the photographs were staged, and all are real, natural images of those people and their cars in the United States.
Cars from Chrysler and Cadillac fill its pages, with families from all walks of life in the photos.
What the book and images do beautifully is keep an air of mystery around the subjects.
Nobody in the photos has a name or a caption, and they are all left anonymous.
There is also no date on any of the photos.
However, the cars can give a clue as to when the photo was taken.
That leaves their lives and what they did open to interpretation from the reader.
That is something you rarely see in a book like this.
Meunier said of the images that they ‘are part archive, part artwork – a time capsule built from vintage steel.’
Looking at the collection of images also makes you wonder where those people are now, or what became of them.
They all provide a glimpse into the American dream of the mid-late 20th century, and how life was so different back then in the United States.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
