Jacob. Georges, Gustave. 43 ans, né à Paris XVIIe. Journalier. Anarchiste. 27/2/94. 1894

Curator: This photograph, a daguerreotype by Alphonse Bertillon, is titled "Jacob. Georges, Gustave. 43 ans, né à Paris XVIIe. Journalier. Anarchiste. 27/2/94." It dates to 1894. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the somberness, despite the formality of his coat and bow tie. The sepia tones amplify the sense of distance. The photograph itself feels like a document, rather than a portrait. Curator: Indeed. The work's structure relies heavily on the interplay of light and shadow. Note the shallow depth of field, with a sharp focus only on Jacob's face, and the inscription plate that is also clear. It serves to isolate him, turning him into an object of study. The flatness almost transforms him into a diagram. Editor: He's labeled: Name, age, profession, political affiliation, and date, almost like inventory. "Anarchist" jumps out at me. In that era, the term was loaded with anxieties about social upheaval. So, beyond its documentary purpose, it reveals society’s anxieties. The framing—tight, clinical—amplifies that. The subject's gaze, or lack thereof, underscores an expression, perhaps of fear. It speaks volumes. Curator: Precisely. The photograph's power lies in its lack of adornment, an artistic and political neutrality even, that, as you’ve expressed, renders the sitter, the subject into pure information, devoid of personal agency, an entry in an archive. The medium itself reinforces that effect. Editor: Ultimately, Bertillon created something far more complex than a simple mugshot. The symbols embedded in this photograph, intended to control, reveal deeper, more potent narratives about the power of the state. Curator: And by using the very logic he created to try to control his subjects, Bertillon has unknowingly also provided us today a framework to investigate this past, the historical importance that far exceeds its intended purpose. Editor: A potent reminder that images always exceed their initial intentions.