Maurin. Émile, Auguste. 31 ans, né à Marseille (Bouche du Rhône). Ex photographe. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

This photograph, captured by Alphonse Bertillon, presents Émile Maurin, an anarchist, arrested in 1894. The most arresting detail is Maurin's wink, a gesture laden with ambiguity. Is it a sign of defiance, camaraderie, or perhaps a sardonic commentary on the very act of being photographed for the criminal archive? The wink, as a symbol, transcends epochs. We see its echoes in ancient Roman frescoes, in the playful gestures of Renaissance cherubs, and even in modern advertising. But here, in this stark photograph, it takes on a different dimension. Consider the psychological weight of this gesture. The wink suggests hidden knowledge, a shared secret between the subject and the viewer. It's a knowing glance that undermines authority. It invokes a sense of subconscious understanding, hinting at realities beyond the surface. The persistence of the wink throughout art history is a testament to its enduring power. It resurfaces time and again, adapted and reinterpreted. In Maurin's case, the wink becomes a potent symbol of resistance, a silent assertion of self in the face of state power.