Ledot. Julien. 41 ans, né à Bourges (Cher). Employé. Anarchiste. 1/3/94. 1894

This photograph, titled "Ledot. Julien. 41 ans, né à Bourges (Cher). Employé. Anarchiste. 1/3/94." was produced by Alphonse Bertillon. The sepia tones and the symmetrical composition give it a detached, clinical feel. Note how Ledot's direct gaze and centered posture create an unsettling sense of confrontation. The flatness of the image, typical of early photography, enhances the starkness. Bertillon's technique, known as "Bertillonage," sought to classify and identify individuals through precise measurements. But the addition of the subject's name, age, profession, and political leaning, introduces elements of social and political context. The photograph operates as a sign, encoding both scientific ambition and implicit social commentary. It challenges traditional portraiture, replacing subjective representation with objective, measurable data. Consider the photograph's texture, its aged surface hinting at the complex layers of meaning embedded within. It is a fascinating document that reveals the intersection of science, power, and representation at the turn of the century.