Collet. Edouard, Jean-Baptiste. 44 ans, né le 6/1/50 à Paris XVlle. Ciseleur. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

This is a mugshot of Edouard Collet, taken in Paris on July 2nd, 1894, by Alphonse Bertillon, using photographic print on card. Bertillon was a French criminologist who pioneered the use of photography as a tool for identifying criminals. In this image, we see Collet, identified as a 44-year-old anarchist metal engraver. The photograph is stark and dehumanizing. It reduces Collet to a set of measurable characteristics, a mere subject of the state. What does it mean to be an anarchist in 1890s Paris? It was a time of great social and political upheaval, with many questioning the established order. Anarchists sought to dismantle oppressive hierarchies and create a more just society. But the state saw them as a threat. This photograph is a powerful reminder of the ways in which identity can be constructed and controlled by those in power, as it captures a moment in time when one man's beliefs put him at odds with the state.