Identification anthropométrique : instructions signalétiques 1893

Alphonse Bertillon made this book, "Identification anthropométrique," using ink on paper, likely in the 1890s. It’s a manual of criminal identification, specifically how to measure bodies for bureaucratic purposes. The material itself, paper, makes it portable, replicable, and easily disseminated. Note the stark contrast between the geometric drawings and the soft pulpiness of the paper, giving it a unique aesthetic. The book’s design is straightforward, prioritizing functionality. The printing press and the standardized format underscore the industrial nature of this supposedly objective system of measuring and classifying human beings. Consider how the rise of mass production, alongside its paper trail, both enables and necessitates this kind of dehumanizing control. The book represents a chilling intersection of science, bureaucracy, and power, all rendered through the seemingly neutral mediums of ink and paper. This challenges us to consider how materials and making can be implicated in wider social issues.