Mocquet. Georges, Gustave. 17 ans, né le 17/5/76 à Paris IXe. Tapissier. Anarchiste. 6/1/94. 1894

This mugshot of Georges Gustave Mocquet was taken in 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon, the French officer who invented the mugshot. Gustave was a 17 year old anarchist. Think about the Paris he knew: industrialization, class divisions, and political upheaval defined the era. Anarchism, with its call for a stateless society, resonated with many who felt disenfranchised. Gustave, a young upholsterer, would have witnessed these inequalities firsthand. Consider the power dynamics at play here: Bertillon, representing the state, capturing Gustave, the anarchist. This image isn't just a record; it's a study in opposition and a stark representation of how society perceives and records those who challenge the status quo. It speaks to the surveillance and criminalization of dissent, particularly among the working class. What does it mean for a teenager to be labeled a threat to the state? This image encapsulates the anxieties of a society grappling with radical ideas.