Chavanne. Gaston. 26 ans, né à Paris VIe. Graveur. Anarchiste. 28/2/94. 1894

This photographic portrait of Gaston Chavanne, made in Paris in 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon, presents us with more than just a face; it unveils a story etched in the very act of documentation. The gaze, direct and perhaps defiant, is framed by the stark formality of the mugshot, a format born from the positivist fervor to categorize and control. Yet, the sitter's profession, "Graveur," and his political leaning, "Anarchiste," introduce a tension. Engravers, creators of images, now find themselves captured by the lens of the state. The act of cataloging individuals through photography bears an uncanny resemblance to the practice of creating votive portraits. Just like the Fayum mummy portraits intended to preserve the identity of the deceased, Bertillon's photographic portraits seem to want to transcend the immediate reality. However, unlike those artworks, the image doesn't immortalize the person, but rather creates a visual record for purposes of surveillance. In the subject's gaze, we sense a silent echo of the ancient struggle between individual expression and societal constraint, reminding us that even the most rigid systems cannot fully contain the human spirit.