Cana. Eugène, Pierre. 47 ans, né à Paris XIe. Monteur en bronze. Anarchiste. 2/3/94. 1894

This photograph, taken by Alphonse Bertillon, captures Eugène Cana, a bronze fitter and anarchist in 1894 Paris. Cana’s gaze, direct and unwavering, is framed by the starkness of the mugshot format, a symbol of societal control. Yet, it is the very act of fixing his image that echoes older, more primal urges. Consider the painted portraits of Renaissance nobility. While seemingly disparate, both aim to preserve an individual’s likeness, fighting against the relentless tide of time. This impulse, deeply embedded in the human psyche, reveals a desire to transcend mortality and to exert control over one's representation. The unflinching stare, reminiscent of ancient Roman portrait busts, conveys defiance and stoicism. These images speak to our subconscious understanding of power and permanence. Bertillon’s photograph, though a tool of the state, ironically shares this ancestral connection to the human need for self-preservation through representation. This visual echo resonates across centuries, revealing the cyclical nature of human expression and the powerful, underlying currents that connect us to the past.