Benoit. Joseph, Alexandre. 33 ans, né le 9/6/61 à Paris XIIIe. Potier d'étain. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

This is an albumen print made by Alphonse Bertillon, taken in 1894. The sepia tones and the tight framing create an immediate sense of enclosure, almost claustrophobia. Bertillon’s "Benoit. Joseph, Alexandre" is not just a portrait, but a study in categorization. The subject, identified by his biographical details scrawled below, becomes a specimen within Bertillon’s system of criminal identification. The mugshot is a visual manifestation of the panoptic gaze, where the subject is under constant surveillance. The formal elements serve a specific purpose. The uniform lighting flattens the features, reducing individuality. The frontal pose and direct gaze, devoid of artistic flourish, emphasize objectivity. Yet, the very act of documenting and classifying reveals an underlying power structure, where the state seeks to define and control its citizens. This unsettling interplay between art and science challenges our notions of identity and representation.