Léonard. Aimé. 30 ans, né à Chalonné/s/Loire (Maine & Loire). Mineur ou gazier. Anarchiste. 27/2/94. 1894

This photograph, taken by Alphonse Bertillon, is of Léonard Aimé, a thirty-year-old anarchist. Bertillon, a French police officer, developed the first forensic identification system in the late 19th century. Consider what it meant to be labeled an anarchist in 1894. In a period marked by social upheaval and labor movements, anarchism represented a rejection of traditional authority. Aimé’s occupation as a miner further contextualizes his identity. Miners were often at the forefront of labor struggles, facing harsh conditions and fighting for workers' rights. This photograph encapsulates the convergence of class, labor, and political ideology. Aimé's defiant gaze invites us to consider the human stories behind radical political movements. Bertillon’s forensic gaze reduces Aimé to a set of data points, yet the image also preserves Aimé's humanity, hinting at the personal motivations behind his activism.