L'île Saint Lazare et le couvent arménien 1879

This is the cover of Jacob Issaverdenz's book, L'île Saint Lazare et le couvent arménien, printed in 1870. The eye is immediately drawn to the symmetrical arrangement of text, a structural choice that evokes both order and clarity. The layout creates a visual hierarchy, with the title boldly positioned to capture attention, followed by the author's name and the imprint details. The typography itself functions as a sign system, each font and size contributing to the overall message. The use of varying font sizes helps to distinguish between different elements such as the title, subtitle, and author, thus establishing a clear structure. The blue edging contrasts with the faded yellow paper. This sharp demarcation emphasizes the book’s materiality, highlighting its age and history. The simplicity of the design challenges the viewer to consider the deeper cultural and historical context of the Armenian convent, using minimal aesthetic distraction.