Société de St. Léonard (outils) à Liége (Belgique) : ateliers de construction de locomotives, matériel fixe et roulant, fonderie de fer, pièces de forges, machines à vapeur, grues et outils divers c. 1885

This is a spread from an album by Joseph Kirsch Fils, featuring descriptive text in ink within a thin ruled border. The composition balances the negative space of the left page with the density of text on the right, framed by a minimalist linear structure. The use of text moves beyond mere description; it functions as a visual element. The arrangement and varying font sizes create a hierarchy, almost like an abstract pattern. Note how the ruled border frames the text as if it were a specimen, categorized and contained. This approach reflects a broader 19th-century fascination with cataloging and ordering information, mirroring the rise of industrialization that this Société embodies. The text is not just a label, but part of a system to control and represent complex industrial processes. It invites us to reflect on how we classify and construct meaning through language and structure.