Serre. Auguste. 37 ans, né à Anonnay (Ardêche) le 13/10/56. Mégissier. Anarchiste. 20/1/94. 1894

This mugshot of Auguste Serre, an anarchist, was captured in 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon using early photographic techniques. We see here the stark, unadorned presentation of the individual, a method intended to categorize and control. Yet, consider the eyes. They gaze forward, perhaps defiant, perhaps resigned, echoing countless portraits across centuries where the subject confronts the viewer. The very act of facing the camera and the unflinching gaze are symbolic. Think of the ancient Roman busts or the Renaissance portraits: the eyes always try to reveal the inner character, or project a certain status, even in this stark image, they cannot hide the man’s spirit. This desire to capture, classify, and understand, or control the human spirit through the image, has been a recurring motif through history. This simple photograph, then, becomes a powerful psychological mirror reflecting our eternal quest to understand ourselves and each other.