Capette. Joseph, Désiré. 56 ans, né à Paris VI. Maroquinier. Anarchiste. 7/3/94. 1894

This photograph was made by Alphonse Bertillon in Paris, France, on March 7th, 1894. It depicts Joseph Désiré Capette, a 56-year-old leather worker identified as an anarchist. Bertillon was a French police officer and biometrics researcher who applied anthropometric techniques to create an identification system based on physical measurements. This system, called "Bertillonage", aimed to modernize policing through scientific methods. The context here is a society grappling with anxieties about crime and social disorder. Photography was thought to be an objective medium for documentation, but it was also a tool of surveillance and social control. It is a stark reminder of the power dynamics inherent in institutional practices, particularly within law enforcement. The photograph embodies both the promise of scientific progress and the potential for its misuse in the control and categorization of individuals. To fully understand the implications of this image, we might delve into archival records of the French police, anarchist movements, and the history of forensic science. Art history helps us to reveal the complex interplay between art, science, and social order.