Ely Cathedral: Head in South Nave Triforium c. 1891

Curator: What an arresting image, this photograph titled "Ely Cathedral: Head in South Nave Triforium" by Frederick H. Evans, circa 1891. It's part of the collection at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: Oh, that is gnarly! Seriously, it feels like some medieval goblin glaring down at me. So raw and textured... Makes me want to reach out and feel the stone, even through the photograph. Curator: Exactly! Evans was a master of pictorialism, and here he uses photography to document the artistry of medieval carvings. Ely Cathedral was a favorite subject of his, and this image showcases his ability to capture the spiritual and aesthetic essence of Gothic architecture. Editor: Spiritual? Mmm, maybe. I see a craftsman giving voice to something...idiosyncratic. You know, those cathedral builders often snuck in their own little jokes and digs at authority, carved into places no one would ever really look. Curator: And photography offered Evans the chance to give these overlooked details a wider audience, certainly. This image would have been circulated in photographic journals and exhibitions. It becomes a public monument, almost. It elevates the work of an anonymous sculptor. Editor: Or maybe just brings out its essential weirdness! I mean, look at the grimace. Is it pain? Is it laughter? Maybe the guy who carved it was just having a bad day with his chisel and thought, "Eh, good enough!" Now Evans has immortalized that mood. Curator: Pictorialism, though, strove for a soft focus and tonal range, almost emulating painting, and there is evidence of manipulation in this particular print that elevates that moody feel even more. Think of Evans exhibiting alongside avant-garde artists of the time. He's not simply recording; he's interpreting. Editor: True, he's making a choice, framing, focusing… conjuring. But for me, that roughness, that almost grotesque quality, hits harder because it feels so real, so... unfiltered despite it all. Curator: It’s a testament to both the original craftsmanship and Evan’s artistic vision—his keen eye selected this detail, transforming it from a simple architectural element to a powerful statement about art, history, and perception. Editor: Okay, you got me thinking. It's not just some random gargoyle face; it's a conversation across centuries. A craftsman carves a feeling, a photographer captures it, and we’re here, still chewing it over. Pretty cool.