Imhof. Louis, Alfred. 37 ans, né à Mex (Suisse). Journalier. Anarchiste. 1/3/94. 1894

This mugshot of Louis Alfred Imhof, a 37-year-old Swiss laborer and anarchist, was created by Alphonse Bertillon in 1894 using his innovative anthropometric system. Bertillon, a French criminologist, pioneered this system of identification based on physical measurements, photography, and record-keeping. It aimed to classify and track individuals, primarily for law enforcement. Here, we see Imhof, a man whose political beliefs have marked him as a subject of interest. His very identity is reduced to a set of data points, a file in the archive of the state. The photograph bears witness to the anxieties of the late 19th century, a time marked by both industrial progress and social upheaval. Anarchism, with its call for radical change, was seen as a threat to the established order. What does it mean to have your identity reduced to a set of measurements and a label? How do systems of power inscribe themselves onto our bodies and our stories? This image makes us consider the human cost of surveillance and control.