FREDERICK H. EVANS (1853-1945)

From the 1890s, Evans photographed the magnificent gothic cathedrals of England and France and his finest prints are immediately recognizeable for their elegance, craftsmanship and sense of deep stillness. Always printed in platinum, they are presented on woven paper within hand-ruled borders.
This image shows the interior of Durham Cathedral, a masterpiece of Norman Romanesque architecture. Typical of Evans' compositions, the view is symmetrical and we are encouraged to follow the light from the shadowy nave to the brightly illuminated baptismal font in the aisle. Examining this quietly sophisticated work of art by Evans--a formal arrangement of chiaroscuro, of void and mass--it is clear to see why Alfred Stieglitz honored him by publishing eight of the cathedral studies in Camera Work and described him as 'the greatest exponent of architectural photography.'