Winged Victory c. 20th century

Herbert G. French made this photograph, called 'Winged Victory', sometime in his career, which ended in 1942. It's a gelatin silver print, which gives it this gorgeous, slightly dreamy quality. The tones are all hushed, like whispers in a darkened room. I love how the artist has handled the gradations of light, melting the foreground and background together, so it's like the figures emerge from the shadows. Look at the way the light catches the woman’s face, highlighting her upward gaze; and then the cool, almost ghostly presence of the statue beside her. The surface is smooth but has this incredible depth, pulling you in. There's a softness that almost feels like a caress, like the photographer is tenderly revealing something hidden. This photograph reminds me of some of the Symbolist painters, like Moreau, who were also interested in dreams and the imagination. Ultimately, the piece is all about feeling. It asks us to look beyond the surface and find our own meanings in its ambiguities.