Ely Cathedral: Prior's Door, with Bedesman 1891

Frederick H. Evans captured Ely Cathedral’s Prior's Door in this photograph, a portal adorned with potent symbols. Above the entrance, Christ sits enthroned within a mandorla, flanked by angels, a composition echoing the Byzantine motif of Christ in Majesty. This iconography, seen in countless medieval churches, asserts divine authority and offers a glimpse into the celestial realm. Consider the mandorla, an almond-shaped aureole, signifying spiritual transformation, a visual echo of the Vesica Piscis—a symbol revered since antiquity. It is a shape we find repeated throughout art history, from depictions of pagan goddesses to Renaissance Madonnas. The symbolic doorway represents a threshold, a liminal space between the earthly and the divine, stirring a deep-seated longing for transcendence. The enduring power of these archetypes lies in their ability to tap into our collective unconscious. They awaken in us a timeless desire for meaning and connection to something greater than ourselves. This image invites us to reflect on how ancient symbols resonate through the ages, evolving and adapting, yet still speaking to the core of the human experience.