Poisson. Georges. 38 ans, né à Boulogne (Seine). Chaudronnier. Anarchiste. 6/3/94 1894

Curator: Let's look at this daguerreotype from 1894. "Poisson. Georges. 38 ans, né à Boulogne," created by Alphonse Bertillon. It’s interesting, isn’t it? It's more than just a portrait. It speaks volumes about the socio-political dynamics of the time. Editor: It's a striking image! What I notice first is how matter-of-fact the presentation is, and of course that annotation in the bottom margin is unusual. What's your read on why it's so impactful? Curator: Well, consider the materiality of this object. A daguerreotype wasn't cheap. The police are using significant resources to document, classify, and ultimately control this individual, and those resources were obtained through taxing laborers. Every element, from the silver plate to the photographic chemicals to the very act of production, highlights power and control. What does that tell you? Editor: So you're saying the expense itself, the "means of production", underscores a hierarchy, it’s not just a neutral record? Curator: Exactly! And think about the subject himself. A boilermaker, labelled an anarchist, at a time of great social upheaval and nascent labor movements. What about that? Editor: Right! And looking closely at him I notice a small scar above one eyebrow. Details which bring some sense of the man. That notation and scar makes it more like the file in a database now, it's like the prototype to modern policing and documentation... The photograph's really chilling now that I reflect on what you have said. Curator: And the use of photography to categorize people is hardly new. Before looking into the background details you might just assume that is another studio photograph and thus disregard all the history and social implication behind that. Editor: Thanks for contextualizing it like that!