Augendre. Ernest. 37 ans, né à St-Pierre le Moutier (Nièvre). Maçon. Anarchiste. 1/3/94.

Art Historical Context

In 1894, pioneering forensic photographer Alphonse Bert captured this intimate portrait of Ernest Augendre a 37-year-old from St-Pierre-le-Moutier in France's Nièvre region, labeled simply as an "anarchiste." Bertillon, chief of the Paris Prefecture of Police's Identification Service, revolutionized criminal documentation with his anthropometric system—known as Bertillonage—combining precise body measurements with standardized frontal and profile photographs. This small albumen silver print from glass negative exemplifies his methodical approach, transforming mugshots into tools of justice amid France's turbulent fin-de-siècle era of social unrest and anarchist bombings. The medium's rich tonal gradations and sharp detail, hallmarks of 19th-century albumen printing, underscore Bertillon's blend of science and artistry. Measuring just 10.5 x 7 cm, the print's compact format allowed for easy filing in police archives, yet its unflinching gaze reveals the human story behind the label—a working-class man caught in political fervor. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this photograph bridges photography's artistic evolution and its pivotal role in modern criminology, offering visitors a poignant window into an age when images began to police society.

About the Artist

Alphonse Bertillon · 1853–1914

Alphonse Bertillon (1853–1914) was a pioneering French photographer whose work revolutionized forensic documentation, transforming police identification into a precise visual science. Born in Paris on April 22, 1853, he was the son of medical professor and statistician Louis-Adolphe Bertillon and the younger brother of demographer Jacques Bertillon. Lacking formal higher education after expulsion ...