Ely Cathedral: Octagon from South Aisle c. 1891

Editor: So, this is Frederick Evans’s "Ely Cathedral: Octagon from South Aisle," a photograph from around 1891. The mood feels very reverent to me, almost hushed. What stands out to you when you look at this, someone who breathes and sweats art? Curator: Hushed is spot on! But also...transcendent, maybe? Evans wasn't just photographing architecture; he was channeling something deeper, wouldn't you say? The way he uses light...it's almost like he’s trying to capture the soul of the cathedral, this vertical thrust in pursuit of divinity. Do you catch that same spiritual current, or am I just projecting my own stained-glass memories? Editor: No, I definitely get the spiritual vibe! The light does seem almost...otherworldly. Was this a common approach to architectural photography at the time? Curator: In some ways yes, and in others, no. Many photographers just documented, but Evans? He was chasing the sublime. He wanted to make you *feel* the space, not just see it. He's using pictorialism which is characterized by soft focus and tonal range in photography; emulating painting through photographic techniques! You can imagine him spending hours finding that perfect light, waiting for it to caress the stone. And think about this - how does he convey space without color to work with, he uses tone. That really makes the depth of that hall speak for itself, and give the cathedral monumentality! It must have been breathtaking to experience. Does that resonate? Editor: It totally does! Thinking about him waiting for the light like that…it really adds to that sense of reverence. I’ll never look at a cathedral photo the same way again! Thanks for opening my eyes. Curator: The pleasure's all mine, to share an artist who understood architecture as frozen music... and shared that with us!