The image is a black and white photograph of a destroyed building. The building appears to be a two-story structure with a sloping roof and a chimney on the left side. The walls of the building are crumbling and there is a large plume of black smoke rising from the roof. On the right side of the image, there are several other buildings that have been damaged by fire. The ground is covered in rubble and debris, and there are a few pieces of wood and other debris scattered around. The photograph is captioned "Die Franzosen schiefen die althistorische Stadt Soissons in Brand. Die brennende Rue St. Christophe."