Large. Etienne, Louis. 20 ans, né le 1/1/74 à Lyon (Rhône). Tapissier. Anarchiste. 9/1/94. 1894

This is an albumen silver print made by Alphonse Bertillon in 1894. The photograph, a mugshot really, captures Etienne Louis, a 20-year-old anarchist, with the clinical precision typical of Bertillon’s identification photographs. The composition is strikingly direct, with a centered, frontal view that emphasizes symmetry. The subject’s gaze meets ours, creating an unsettling connection. Light and shadow play across his face, revealing the texture of his skin and clothing, lending a sculptural quality to what is otherwise a flat image. Bertillon’s project sought to classify individuals through a system of measurement and visual recording. In doing so, it created a semiotic system where every aspect of appearance became a sign, laden with meaning about identity and potential deviance. This photograph challenges traditional notions of portraiture, shifting from representation to a form of surveillance. The neutrality of the photograph is deceptive; it speaks volumes about power, control, and the construction of identity within institutional structures.