Bruneau. Amédé, Jean Baptiste. 46 ans, né à Châteauroux (Indre). Cordonnier. Anarchiste. 2/3/94. 1894

This is a photograph made by Alphonse Bertillon in 1894, part of his identification series. Here, the symbols are not of myth or legend, but of the modern desire to categorize and control. Bertillon's mugshots, like this one, capture more than just a face; they seek to capture the individual's very identity. The stark, frontal pose mirrors the conventions of religious icons, but here, the subject is not a saint but a common man, deemed a threat to social order. The gaze, direct and unflinching, evokes both vulnerability and defiance. Consider the unflattering light, meant to reveal every imperfection, every deviation from the norm. This scientific scrutiny echoes the religious practice of confession, where hidden sins are brought into the light. The image is not merely a record, but a ritual, a symbolic act of power. The face of Amédé Bruneau, the anarchist, becomes a potent reminder of the tension between individual freedom and collective security, a tension that continues to shape our world today.