Hettich (ou Hettig). Eugène. 17 ans, né le 6/1/77 à Paris XXe. Cocher. Anarchiste. 16/3/94.

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, criminologist Alphonse Bertillon revolutionized police work with his pioneering "anthropometric system," using precise measurements and standardized photographs to identify suspects. This 1894 albumen silver print a glass negative captures Eugène Hettich (or Hettig), a 17-year-old coachman from Paris's 20 arrondissement, labeled as an "anarchiste" and dated March 16. At just 10.5 x 7 cm, this intimate mugshot from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection exemplifies Bertillon's methodical portraits—typically frontal and profile views paired with physical data—to create an indelible "speaking likeness." Taken amid France's turbulent "Age of Anarchism," a period of bombings and social unrest in Belle Époque Paris, the image reflects the era's crackdown on radicals. Hettich's youthful face, marked by the stark lighting and clinical framing of forensic photography, humanizes a figure demonized in the press, offering a poignant glimpse into the lives of working-class dissenters. Bertillon's albumen prints, prized for their sharp detail and tonal richness, bridged art and science, influencing modern photography and criminal justice. This piece invites us to ponder how images once confined to police files now illuminate history's overlooked stories.

About the Artist

Alphonse Bertillon · 1853–1914

Alphonse Bertillon (1853–1914) was a pioneering French photographer whose work revolutionized forensic documentation, transforming police identification into a precise visual science. Born in Paris on April 22, 1853, he was the son of medical professor and statistician Louis-Adolphe Bertillon and the younger brother of demographer Jacques Bertillon. Lacking formal higher education after expulsion ...