Durey. François, Louis. 43 ans, né le 25/2/51 à Lyon (Rhône). Architecte. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

This is a photograph by Alphonse Bertillon, taken in 1894, using the wet collodion process. What's fascinating here is that photography, originally conceived as a scientific tool, became a means of social control. Bertillon was a French police officer, who pioneered forensic photography. This mugshot of François Louis Durey, an anarchist architect, reduces an individual to a set of measurable data points. The choice of albumen print, a process involving coating paper with egg white, gives the image a subtle sheen, almost fetishizing the subject. But let's remember, this isn't art for art's sake. It's a systematic attempt to categorize and control individuals, stripping them of their humanity. The meticulous detail, the stark lighting—all serve the purpose of identification. It's a collision of art, science, and the anxieties of a society grappling with social unrest. It highlights how even the most seemingly objective techniques can be weaponized in the service of power.