Alphonse Bertillon, born in 1853, the son and brother of statisticians, was a junior clerk at the Préfecture de Police when he had the idea of applying to criminals the measurements his family held so dear. Fourteen measurements of the body, he calculated, bring the risk of confusing two men down to one chance in 286 million. From there came the anthropometric record card and the police photograph, full face and profile, still in use today.
The story
Alphonse Bertillon was born on 22 April 1853, son of the statistician Louis Bertillon and brother of the statistician Jacques Bertillon. A junior clerk at police headquarters, he applied his family's habits of measurement to criminals.
His arithmetic was simple: fourteen measurements of the body bring the chance of a coincidence down to one in two hundred and eighty-six million. From that came the anthropometric record card, and with it the standardised police photograph — full face and profile, fixed scale — that the whole world still uses.
He set up the first forensic laboratory and became head of the police photographic service. ‘Bertillonnage’ was taken up across Europe, in London, in New York; his “Instructions signalétiques” and “La Photographie judiciaire” were the authorities on the subject.
His method had a limit he would not see: it identifies, it proves nothing. Called as a handwriting expert in the Dreyfus affair, though he was no graphologist, he concluded that Dreyfus had disguised his own hand — an opinion that weighed heavily in the conviction, and that the review of the case took apart. The cemetery's own notice says nothing of it.
He died on 13 February 1914. His system stayed in use until 1970, displaced by the fingerprints he had himself added to his own cards. His daughter Suzanne published a “Vie d'Alphonse Bertillon” with Gallimard in 1941.
The grave
The stele bears a bronze bas-relief signed Paul Theunissen (1873-1931), showing Bertillon at his desk, surrounded by his instruments: the scientist is shown at work, not as a ceremonial bust. The inscription reads like a list of inventions rather than an epitaph: “Alphonse Bertillon, inventor of anthropometric identification, metric photography, fingerprints”. Three lines that sum up a century of forensic science, and say nothing of the expert report of 1894.
On site, do not miss
The bronze bas-relief: Bertillon seated at his desk, with the measuring instruments of his system around him.
Visitors' questions
Where is Alphonse Bertillon's grave?
In Division 89, Avenue Aguado, first row. The stele bears a bronze bas-relief by the sculptor Paul Theunissen showing Bertillon seated at his desk, surrounded by the measuring instruments of his system.
Oscar WildeWhat is the Bertillon system?
An identification system based on fourteen measurements of the body, which reduced to one in two hundred and eighty-six million the odds of two people sharing the same set. Adopted across Europe, it remained in use until 1970.
Claude BernardDid he invent the police mugshot?
He standardised it: full face and profile, at a fixed scale, under constant lighting. It is the form police forces the world over still use, and the inscription on his grave mentions it alongside anthropometric description and fingerprints.
Claude ChappeWhat was his role in the Dreyfus affair?
Called as a handwriting expert although he was no graphologist, he concluded that the bordereau — the incriminating memorandum — was in Dreyfus's hand. His testimony weighed on the conviction and was demolished at the retrial. The cemetery's notice makes no mention of it.
Georges AuclairAudio guide to Père Lachaise: the best unusual guided tour!
Discover the secrets of the most astonishing tombs
the audio guidefrom€6.99