Ely Cathedral: Nave and Octagon, to Choir c. 1891

Frederick H. Evans created this platinum print titled "Ely Cathedral: Nave and Octagon, to Choir." Evans's architectural photographs are more than mere documentation; they are deeply enmeshed with the cultural and spiritual values of his time. His choice to photograph cathedrals—spaces historically dominated by male religious authority—can be viewed as an engagement with power structures. Consider, too, the emotional landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As society grappled with rapid industrialization and urbanization, the neo-gothic style became a statement of cultural identity, referencing a romanticized past. Evans’s photographs served as visual echoes of this sentiment, offering solace and reaffirming a sense of continuity amidst change. Moreover, Evans, who embraced the philosophy of the Pictorialist movement, manipulated light and shadow to evoke feelings of awe and introspection, turning stone and structure into emotive, almost spiritual experiences. In his own words, he sought to capture “not merely a record of fact, but an expression of feeling.” His perspective invites us to meditate on the intersection of identity, history, and individual experience within a larger societal narrative.