Morvan. Félicien. 45 ans, né le 8/6/49 à Kerity (Côte du Nord). Menuisier. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

This is an albumen silver print made in 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon, a French police officer and biometrics researcher. It's titled "Morvan. Félicien. 45 ans, né le 8/6/49 à Kerity (Côte du Nord). Menuisier. Anarchiste. 2/7/94." Bertillon pioneered the use of photography in criminal identification, and this image reflects the intersection of identity, social class, and political beliefs in late 19th-century France. Félicien Morvan, identified as a 45-year-old carpenter from Kerity and, notably, an anarchist, is captured through the lens of state surveillance. Anarchism, with its advocacy for the abolition of hierarchy, was considered a threat to the established order. Bertillon’s portrait, therefore, becomes more than a mere record; it's a document of the state's gaze upon those deemed subversive. The photograph is stark, direct. It captures Morvan, but also frames him within a specific political and social context. It asks us to consider how identity is constructed and categorized, both by oneself and by the systems of power.