Ortiz. Léon. 25 ans, né à Paris. Commis d'architecte. Anarchiste. Voyage ordinairement en bicyclette. 1894

Editor: Here we have Alphonse Bertillon's "Ortiz. Léon. 25 ans, né à Paris. Commis d'architecte. Anarchiste. Voyage ordinairement en bicyclette.," made in 1894, using the gelatin-silver print process. It's striking how much information is conveyed through this photographic process... almost like a dossier entry. What do you see as you analyze this piece? Curator: Considering Bertillon's methods, I am interested in understanding the impact of mass production on creating identity within social contexts. This isn't just a portrait; it's a document within the system Bertillon created. It highlights the shift towards standardizing people, where photographic materials played an active role in policing society. Note the very clear profile captured; consider the way labor practices are being enacted via the subject, and, ultimately, consumption. Editor: That's a really interesting point. So you're saying the image is less about capturing an individual and more about documenting someone for a specific purpose within a system? Curator: Exactly! How do materials such as gelatin silver contribute? It offers clarity, consistency and reproducibility – features critical for cataloging individuals. Anarchism—a form of labor rejecting power. Notice the detail taken from the image, juxtaposed against how someone like Ortiz might reject all kinds of imposed structures. Editor: So, this work becomes a kind of commentary on labor and the evolving systems that are used for classification? I hadn’t thought of it that way before. Curator: Precisely. Examining photographic production unearths its role in shaping modern subjectivity. The anarchist travels by bicycle... the implications of technology are immense. Editor: That makes me look at all sorts of portraits differently, understanding more about context beyond subject and composition. Thanks!