Wagner. Paul, Louis. 38 ans, né le 14/10/55. Ébéniste. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

Editor: This is a photograph from 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon titled "Wagner. Paul, Louis. 38 ans, né le 14/10/55. Ébéniste. Anarchiste." The description states that Paul was a cabinet maker, but the intensity of the portrait is striking and slightly unsettling, almost as if documenting a criminal. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Precisely. Bertillon was a French police officer and biometrics researcher. This photograph isn't art in the traditional sense, but rather an example of Bertillonage, a system of identifying criminals through standardized photography and anthropometric measurements. Its artistic value today arises from understanding its complex social and institutional context. It speaks volumes about the burgeoning science of criminology and the societal anxieties of the late 19th century, doesn't it? Editor: It's amazing to think this image served a purpose in a wider system of cataloging and social control. What do you find most revealing about it in that context? Curator: The handwritten annotations—"Anarchiste"—placed on the image are especially telling. The political climate of the time, the fear of anarchism and social unrest, profoundly shaped how individuals were perceived and recorded. This image served as both document and propaganda. We must remember the public role of such imagery in shaping perceptions. Editor: So the image functions as more than just a portrait; it's evidence of a specific historical fear and political stance. Thank you, it sheds an interesting new light on it! Curator: My pleasure. Understanding its social context helps us grasp how such images are made and, significantly, *why* they were made and circulated. Food for thought.