Dery. Louis. 60 ans, né à Cobugny (Nièvre). Cordonnier. Anarchiste. 9/3/94. 1894

This mugshot of Dery Louis, a 60-year-old anarchist cobbler, was made by Alphonse Bertillon in 1894, using photography. The albumen silver print method, popular in the late 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a smooth surface for detailed images. Bertillon was a pioneer of forensic science, and used this technique in the service of law enforcement. His mugshots weren’t fine art. They were straightforward documents, intended to classify and record the identities of criminals. Think about the labor involved; tanning leather, stitching soles, day after day. Cobblers like Louis belonged to a working class, whose labor underpinned the very society that would cast them as criminal. It’s important to understand the social context and the labor involved in creating any artwork. This helps us appreciate the complexities and challenges faced by the people who made them, while challenging our own understanding of fine art.