Soubrié. François. 39 ans, né à Livignac-le-Haut (Aveyron). Brûleur de café. Anarchiste. 14/3/94. 1894

This is a mugshot by Alphonse Bertillon, rendered in sepia tones through early photographic processes. The subject, Soubrié, confronts us directly. The composition is stark and symmetrical, bisecting the frame at the chest, creating an immediate sense of confrontation. Light catches Soubrié's face, drawing attention to his eyes, which are wide and unfocused. The flatness of the image, typical of the medium, paradoxically enhances the depth of psychological inquiry. Bertillon's project was rooted in a desire to impose order, categorizing individuals through precise measurements and visual records. Yet, the very act of framing and classifying also underscores the instability of identity, the constant shifting between subject and object. The mugshot presents a tension between the desire for control and the uncontrollable, between objective measurement and subjective interpretation. Consider how the formal elements work in tandem to destabilize the very notion of a fixed identity. We are left contemplating the uneasy relationship between visibility, knowledge, and the human subject.