Ravinet. Gaston. 34 ans, né à Paris XIXe. Couvreur. Anarchiste. 1/3/94. 1894

This photographic portrait, part of a series by Alphonse Bertillon, captures Gaston Ravinet, a 34-year-old Parisian roofer and anarchist, in 1894. Bertillon, a French criminologist, pioneered the use of anthropometry, a system of identification based on precise body measurements, for criminal record keeping. These mugshots, created for police files, provide a glimpse into the lives of individuals on the fringes of society in late 19th-century Paris. The straightforward, frontal composition and detailed inscription, including Ravinet's age, occupation, and political affiliation, highlight the documentary nature of Bertillon's work.