Moreau. Louis. 40 ans, né le 22/10/53 à Villiers (Nièvre). Tailleur de pierre. Anarchiste. 2/7/94. 1894

This is an albumen print, made in 1894 by Alphonse Bertillon. It depicts Louis Moreau, a 40-year-old stonecutter and anarchist. Bertillon was the father of modern police photography. He devised a system of anthropometry, using precise body measurements to identify criminals. Photography was a key part of this process. The albumen print was a common photographic process at the time. It involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a light-sensitive surface. In this portrait, we see Moreau in a corduroy jacket, his gaze direct. The photograph's surface is smooth, almost porcelain-like, contrasting sharply with the rough texture of Moreau's working clothes. The act of photographing Moreau, of documenting his features for the state, speaks to broader issues of labor, class, and political dissent. Moreau's profession as a stonecutter reminds us of the physical labor upon which society is built. Ultimately, this photograph challenges our notions of art versus documentation, reminding us that even the most seemingly objective images are embedded with social and political meaning.