Tramcourt. Albert. 27 ans, né le 10/12/66 à Creil. Mécanicien. Anarchiste. 15/1/94.

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, French criminologist Alphonse Bertillon police identification with his anthropometric system, combining precise body measurements with standardized photographs—early mugshots. This 1894 albumen silver print a glass negative, titled *Tramcourt. Albert 27 ans, né le 10/12/66 à Creil. Mécanicien. Anarch. 15/1/94.*, captures one such subject: Albert, a 27-year-old mechanic fromil labeled an "anarchiste" (anarchist), arrested on January 15, 1894. Measuring just 10.5 x 7 cm, the intimate portrait exemplifies Bertillon's meticulous front and profile views, designed for scientific accuracy rather than artistic flourish. Bertillon's technique marked a pivotal shift in photography from portraiture to forensic documentation, influencing global policing until fingerprints superseded it. Produced via the albumen process—coating paper with egg whites and silver salts for sharp detail and warm tones—these prints were archived in Paris police files amid France's turbulent era of anarchist bombings and social unrest. Albert's stern gaze and detailed inscription humanize a man caught in political fervor, offering a window into the era's fears of radicalism. Today, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this photograph bridges art and history, reminding us how images once confined to criminal records now illuminate human stories and the birth of modern surveillance.

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 ...