Havard. Octave, Onésime. 25 ans, né à Hedouville (Calvados). Polisseur. Anarchiste. 1/3/94. 1894

Alphonse Bertillon made this albumen silver print in France on March 1st, 1894. It depicts Havard Octave, a 25-year-old polisher born in Hedouville, and identified as an anarchist. Bertillon was a French police officer and biometrics researcher, and he pioneered the use of photography for criminal identification. This image is part of a series of mugshots used to document and classify criminals and political dissidents. In late 19th-century France, anarchism was seen as a major threat to social order, and figures like Octave were subjected to intense surveillance. Bertillon's photographs thus offer a glimpse into the social and political anxieties of the time. The meticulous documentation reflects an attempt by the state to control and categorize individuals deemed dangerous. To fully understand the meaning and purpose of this image, one must consider the institutional history of policing and surveillance. Resources such as police archives, historical studies of crime, and political movements would give a broader understanding of these intriguing historical documents.