Letellier. Louis, Auguste. 29 ans, né à Rouen (Seine-Inférieure). Employé. Anarchiste. 23/4/92. 1892

Editor: This is a photograph, a gelatin-silver print by Alphonse Bertillon from 1892, titled "Letellier. Louis, Auguste. 29 ans... Anarchiste." The direct gaze and detailed record of his identity make it feel strangely intimate and clinical at the same time. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The photograph's power resides in the complex interplay of its documentary purpose and the inherent symbolism it holds. Anarchism, in the 1890s, carried a potent emotional charge. The starkness of Bertillon’s mugshot format strips away idealization, but paradoxically, intensifies the symbolism. Look at how the subject, despite being framed as a criminal type, maintains a degree of dignity. The face becomes a battleground of societal fears and individual identity. What feelings does his gaze evoke in you? Editor: I see a kind of defiance, maybe a little resignation, but mostly…ambivalence. He's not projecting any simple narrative. Is it typical for portraits from that time to include the subject’s political affiliation? Curator: Not typically, no. It’s this overt labeling that elevates it beyond a mere record. It serves as a signifier, intended to demonize and categorize, feeding into anxieties about social unrest. But labeling someone an 'anarchist' also inadvertently grants a certain iconic status, associating him with rebellion and radical thought. How does understanding that historical context change your view of the portrait? Editor: It makes it feel much more charged. It's not just a neutral portrait, but a political statement – by Bertillon, about Letellier and anxieties surrounding anarchism. It definitely makes you consider the power dynamics inherent in even the simplest photograph. Curator: Exactly. It exposes how seemingly objective records are always embedded within a web of cultural and psychological meanings, speaking volumes about both the subject and the society that seeks to define him. Editor: This has been incredibly insightful; thank you for sharing your perspective. It really highlights how even a seemingly straightforward image can hold layers of meaning.