Onderdelen van een stoomlocomotief before 1871

This photograph, "Onderdelen van een stoomlocomotief" (Parts of a Steam Locomotive), was created by George Gardner Rockwood. The sepia tones evoke a sense of nostalgia and the birth of the industrial age. Rockwood meticulously arranges the locomotive parts—boxes, valves, and other mechanical components—across a dark shelf. In this composition, Rockwood isn't merely documenting objects, but constructing a visual language. The arrangement invites us to consider the relationship between these individual components and the larger steam locomotive. The sharp focus and stark lighting strip the steam engine of its aesthetic appeal. The artist employs a semiotic system, highlighting the formal elements, creating a sense of order and functionality. This challenges fixed meanings and engages with new ways of thinking about space, power and representation.