Lapointe. Nicolas, Céleste. 45 ans, né à Marbach (Alsace-Lorraine). Cordonnier. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

Editor: So, here we have Alphonse Bertillon's 1894 daguerreotype, "Lapointe. Nicolas, Céleste. 45 ans, né à Marbach (Alsace-Lorraine). Cordonnier. Anarchiste." It’s quite striking – the starkness of the medium and the direct gaze create an unexpectedly intimate encounter. What do you make of the symbols embedded in this image? Curator: It's fascinating how Bertillon’s photographic portraits, intended for criminal identification, inadvertently captured a slice of social and political unrest. Notice how the subject, Lapointe, is presented. His occupation and political affiliation, "Cordonnier. Anarchiste," are documented alongside his physical description. This combining of seemingly objective data with identifiers reveals the psychological weight assigned to "anarchist" at the time, a mark of suspicion, even deviancy. Does this controlled gaze suggest defiance, resignation, or something in between? Editor: I see what you mean about the charged nature of "anarchist" as a descriptor. His expression, though, feels ambiguous, difficult to pin down. How much can we read into it, considering the context of the portrait being taken as part of a policing procedure? Curator: Indeed. But think about the act of portraiture itself. Traditionally, it's about capturing and preserving an identity, often one of power and status. Here, the intent is inverted – to categorize and control. Yet, even within this system, Lapointe retains a degree of self-representation through his bearing and the trace of emotion we perceive. Do you think the trace of emotional ambiguity humanizes him despite the scientific context? Editor: Definitely, the human element persists. Considering Bertillon's systematized approach to identifying individuals, it's ironic that the portrait transcends mere categorization. I find myself drawn to Lapointe as an individual. Curator: Exactly. We are reminded that cultural memory can be invoked, not only through overt symbolism but through the quiet resistance of individual expression against systems seeking to erase it.