Lepla. Henri, Florimond. 25 ans, né à Gand (Belgique). Anarchiste. 1/3/94. 1894

This is an albumen silver print made by Alphonse Bertillon in 1894. It depicts Henri Florimond Lepla, a 25-year-old anarchist from Ghent, Belgium. Bertillon was a French police officer and biometrics researcher who applied anthropological techniques to law enforcement. This photograph comes from his efforts to create a modern system of criminal identification. In his photographs, Bertillon sought to capture the faces of those who were deemed threats to the social order. This image is more than just an early example of crime scene photography. It is a window into the fraught relationship between the individual and the state, particularly the state's surveillance and control over marginalized populations. It prompts us to consider the ethics of power, identity, and the gaze. It is a reminder of the human stories behind the data points.