Martineau. Jules, Louis. 30 ans, né à Angers (Maine & Loire). Peintre en bâtiment. Anarchiste. 3/7/94. 1894

This albumen silver print was created by Alphonse Bertillon in France on July 3rd, 1894. It depicts Jules Louis Martineau, a 30-year-old house painter from Angers, identified here as an anarchist. Bertillon pioneered the "speaking portrait" and anthropometry, using precise body measurements for identification. This photograph, more than just a record, is a stark commentary on the social anxieties of the time. In late 19th-century France, anarchism was viewed as a dangerous threat to social order, and the state used photography to classify and control individuals deemed subversive. Martineau’s mugshot, with its visible identifiers and emotionless pose, reflects the institutional gaze of the police. To understand this image fully, one must delve into the archives of criminal justice, police records, and the history of anarchist movements in France. It reminds us that art, even in its most documentary forms, is deeply embedded in social and political contexts.