Tiran. Arthur, Théodore. 29 ans, né à Briec (Finistère). Serrurier. Anarchiste. 26/2/94.

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, forensic pioneer Alphonse Bertillon criminal identification with his anthropometric system, combining precise body measurements with standardized photography. This 1894 albumen silver print a glass negative captures Théodore Arthur Tiran, a 29-year-old locksmith from Br in Brittany's Finistère region, labeled as an "anarchiste" and dated to his arrest on February 26. Part of Bertillon's meticulous police archive, the small portrait (10.5 x 7 cm) exemplifies early mugshot conventions: a stark, clinical profile designed for identification rather than flattery. Bertillon's images hold immense historical significance amid France's 1890s anarchist wave, marked by bombings and "propaganda of the deed" that gripped Paris. As chief of the Paris Prefecture's Identification Service, he documented suspects like Tiran with scientific detachment, transforming photography into a tool of justice. The albumen process, prized for its sharp detail and warm tones, underscores the era's technical leap in gelatin silver's predecessor. Today, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this poignant relic humanizes a turbulent time, blending art, science, and social history for a glimpse into the face of perceived radicalism.

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 ...