Broggio. (Roche), Bernard. 39 ans, né en Italie. Journalier. Association de malfaiteurs. 22/3/94.
Medium
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Dimensions
10.5 x 7 x 0.5 cm (4 1/8 x 2 3/4 x 3/16 in.) each
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Museum Purchase, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.375.78
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, police official Alphonse Bertillon criminal identification with his pioneering "Bertillonage" system, blending precise body measurements with standardized photography. This 1894en silver print from a negative captures Bernard Broggio (also known as Roche), a39-year-old Italian-born laborer arrested for association with criminals on March 22. Titled with meticulous details—age, origin, occupation, and charges—it exemplifies Bertillon's methodical approach to documenting suspects through frontal and profile views, creating an indelible visual record. Printed in the sha...
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 ...