Pidoux. Jean. Victor. 45 ans, né au Châtelet (Seine-et-Marne). Estampeur de métaux. Anarchiste 2/7/94. 1894

Editor: Here we have an interesting piece: a photograph from 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon entitled "Pidoux. Jean. Victor. 45 ans... Anarchiste 2/7/94." It's a rather unsettling portrait; there's a vulnerability but also a defiance in his eyes. What do you see in this work? Curator: It's unsettling for good reason. This isn't just a portrait, it's a mugshot, a product of Bertillon's pioneering use of photography in criminal identification. It’s an early example of what we now call surveillance photography. Consider the sociopolitical climate: anxieties about anarchism were rife in Europe at the time. Editor: So the image itself becomes a tool of power. The sitter isn’t really consenting to be portrayed, right? Curator: Precisely. The photograph, while seemingly objective, serves as a mechanism for social control, labeling and categorizing individuals deemed threats to the established order. It removes agency and makes a spectacle of their identity, branding Pidoux as an “anarchist.” What do you think is the public’s perspective seeing an image like this? Editor: It’s dehumanizing! Viewing this now, one can’t help but feel conflicted between the man's humanity and the label imposed upon him. Knowing that his picture would probably get released publicly feels invasive. Curator: Absolutely. The Metropolitan Museum’s acquisition and display of this photo sparks discussion on privacy, criminality, and societal fears during the rise of photographic technologies. Editor: That really reframes my perspective on mugshots. Seeing this within the context of surveillance and social anxiety really opened my eyes. Curator: Indeed, it urges us to consider who has the power to create and distribute images and the stories they choose to tell.