[Mugshots of Suspected Anarchists from French Police Files]

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, amid France's turbulent era of anarchist unrest and bombings, Alphonse Bertillon revolutionized identification with his pioneering "Bertillonage" system This collection of mugshots from French police files, created between 1891 and 1895, exemplifies his method: standardized front and profile portraits paired with precise bodily measurements. Captured as small albumen silver and gelatin silver prints—early photographic processes prized for their sharp detail and tonal range—these 105 x 7 cm images were not mere records but tools for scientific policing. Bertillon, often called the father of forensic photography, transformed the mugshot from crude sketch to systematic portraiture, influencing global law enforcement. Here, the focus on female suspects adds a poignant layer, challenging stereotypes of the era's anarchists as predominantly male. These women, suspected of radical activities, gaze directly at the camera, their expressions blending defiance and vulnerability, revealing the human stories behind official scrutiny. Displayed in The Met's Gilman Collection, these prints bridge art and history, highlighting photography's dual role as objective document and subtle portrait medium. They invite us to reflect on surveillance, gender, and resistance in a time of social upheaval.

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 ...