Hettich (ou Hettig). Eugène. 17 ans, né le 6/1/77 à Paris XXe. Cocher. Anarchiste. 16/3/94.
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
2005.100.375.208
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, criminologist Alphonse Bertillon revolutionized police work with his pioneering "anthropometric system," using precise measurements and standardized photographs to identify suspects. This 1894 albumen silver print a glass negative captures Eugène Hettich (or Hettig), a 17-year-old coachman from Paris's 20 arrondissement, labeled as an "anarchiste" and dated March 16. At just 10.5 x 7 cm, this intimate mugshot from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection exemplifies Bertillon's methodical portraits—typically frontal and profile views paired with physical dat...
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 ...