Galau (ou Gallot). Louis. 53 ans, né à Meriziès (Tarn). Charron. Anarchiste. 21/8/93. 1893

This is Alphonse Bertillon’s ‘Galau (ou Gallot). Louis. 53 ans, né à Meriziès (Tarn). Charron. Anarchiste. 21/8/93.’ The sepia tones and direct, frontal composition give the portrait a stark, objective quality. The subject, Louis Galau, is presented with meticulous detail, his features captured with an almost clinical precision. The photograph's structure, with its rigid framing and the subject's centered position, reinforces the intention of classification and control. Bertillon, a pioneer of forensic photography, sought to standardize the representation of individuals for identification purposes. This photograph, taken in 1893, exemplifies his efforts to create a visual system of knowledge that could be used to categorize and manage populations. The use of photography as a tool for surveillance reflects broader concerns about social order. Through Bertillon’s rigorous approach, we see how the very act of representing a subject can carry ideological implications, turning the individual into a sign within a larger system of power and knowledge. This piece prompts us to reflect on the gaze, and how it reflects our own ways of seeing and understanding the world.