Peticolin. Henri. 23 ans, né le 8/6/71 à Goersdorf (Bas-Rhin). Vernisseur. Anarchiste. 2/7/94.

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, French forensic pioneer Alphonse Bertillon revolutionized criminal identification with his "anthropometric system," combining precise body measurements with standardized photographs. This 1894 albumen silver print from a glass negative captures Henri Peticolin, a 23-year-old varnisher (vernisseur) from Goersdorf in Alsace, labeled as an "anarchiste." Shot on July 2, 1894, amid France's turbulent "Age of Anarchist Outrages"—a wave of bombings and political violence—the small portrait (10.5 x 7 cm) exemplifies Bertillon's meticulous mugshot format, typically featuring front and profile views for scientific accuracy. Bertillon's technique elevated photography from mere documentation to a tool of justice, influencing modern forensics and even artistic portraiture. The albumen process, using egg whites to bind silver salts on glass negatives, produced crisp, detailed images ideal for identification cards. Peticolin's solemn gaze and the stark labeling humanize a man caught in an era of radical ideology, reminding us how photography bridged art, science, and social control. Today, housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this piece invites reflection on the intersection of crime, politics, and visual record-keeping, showcasing photography's power to preserve history's shadowy figures.

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 ...