Benoit. Antoine. 29 ans, né à Paris Xle. Journalier. Anarchiste, vagabondage. 4/3/94. 1894

This is a photograph made in France in 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon. It depicts a man named Antoine Benoit, identified as an anarchist, a vagabond, and a day laborer. Bertillon was a French police officer and biometrics researcher who invented the "Bertillonage" system of identification based on physical measurements, photography, and record-keeping. This system was used to identify repeat offenders and maintain social order. Benoit’s mugshot is a powerful reminder of the late nineteenth century’s fear of the ‘dangerous classes’ and those who challenged established social norms. The image creates meaning through the use of visual codes. Benoit's unkempt appearance and direct gaze mark him as an outsider. His status as an anarchist would have aligned him with a political movement seen as deeply threatening to the state. Understanding art like this requires us to look beyond the image itself and delve into social and institutional histories, exploring the ways in which power, social control, and the politics of imagery intersect.