Favre. Sébastien. 36 ans, né à St Étienne (Loire). Négociant. Port d'arme prohibée, anarchiste. 20/2/94. 1894

This mugshot, titled 'Favre. Sébastien. 36 ans, né à St Étienne (Loire). Négociant. Port d'arme prohibée, anarchiste. 20/2/94,' was created by Alphonse Bertillon. It captures a moment rife with the anxieties of late 19th-century France. The image is a product of Bertillon's 'portrait parlé,' a system designed to categorize and control individuals through meticulous physical measurement and documentation. Favre, identified as a 36-year-old merchant from St. Étienne, is branded an anarchist, a term heavy with political and social implications during a period of intense ideological conflict. We see more than just a face; we witness the intersection of identity, power, and resistance. Favre's alleged crime—possession of a prohibited weapon—becomes secondary to his political label, highlighting the era’s fear of dissent. The photograph serves as both record and indictment, freezing Favre in a moment of state-defined identity. It prompts us to reflect on how society classifies and judges its members.