Mursch. Eugène. 24 ans à Schlestatt (Bas-Rhin). Ciseleur. Anarchiste. 18/3/94. 1894

In this photograph, Alphonse Bertillon captures Eugène Mursch, a 24-year-old engraver and anarchist, in 1894. Bertillon was the father of criminal identification, and this portrait is not merely an image but a document, a tool for social control. Notice how Mursch's gaze drifts to the side, as if searching or avoiding something, embodying a profound, almost existential unease. This averted gaze echoes through art history, from ancient Roman portraiture to Renaissance depictions of saints in contemplation. It recurs as a symbol of inner turmoil or resistance against external forces. Consider, too, how our reading of this photograph is colored by the knowledge of Mursch’s anarchist leanings, and the latent societal fears of the late 19th century. This anxiety, mirrored in his sidelong glance, resurfaces time and again in different guises, proving that the emotional weight of history is cyclical, ever-present, and deeply embedded within the human psyche.