Ely Cathedral: North Transept into North Aisle c. 1891

Frederick H. Evans made this platinum print of Ely Cathedral sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Evans, part of the Linked Ring brotherhood, advocated for photography as a fine art. His images of Gothic cathedrals weren't just architectural studies, they aimed to capture the spiritual essence of these grand spaces. Consider the cultural context: in England, the Gothic Revival was in full swing, and there was a renewed interest in the medieval past. The Church of England was a powerful institution, and cathedrals like Ely were symbols of its authority and history. Evans’s photographs, with their emphasis on light and shadow, and their almost mystical quality, tapped into this cultural moment. They invited viewers to contemplate the sublime, and to connect with a sense of history and tradition. To understand this image fully, we might delve into the history of Ely Cathedral, the Gothic Revival movement, and the debates around photography as art. Only then can we appreciate its layers of meaning.