Foussard. Eugène. 26 ans, né le 7/12/67 à Dangeul (Sarthe). Peintre en bâtiment. Anarchiste. 2/7/94.
Medium
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Dimensions
10.5 x 7 x 0.5 cm (4 1/8 x 2 3/4 x 3/16 in.) each
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Museum Purchase, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.375.171
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, criminologist Alphonse Bert revolutionized police work with his anthropometric system, using precise measurements and photography to identify suspects. This small albumen silver print from glass negative, dated July 2, 1894, captures Eugène Foussard a 26-year-old painter from Dangeau in Sarthe, labeled simply as an "Anarchiste." At just 10.5 x 7 cm, it's a stark mugshot-style portrait, emblematic of Bertillon's methodical approach to criminal documentation amid France's turbulent era of anarchist unrest, marked by bombings and political fervor. The medium—albumen pri...
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 ...