[Needlework Altar Cloth, Durham]

Frederick H. Evans

1911–12 · Platinum print on cotton fabric · Photographs

A bookseller turned photographer, Evans created some of the most famous pictures of architecture in photographic history. Known for his meticulous printing, mounting, and presentation of singular works, Evans approached his subjects holistically, carefully planning and producing a representative collection of images for each site. His last major undertaking of this type, the Durham Cathedral, is a case in point. The platinum photograph of the altar cloth, which Evans printed on a piece of cotton textile to mimic the needlework of the original, is an exquisitely rendered detail from a pictorial program meant to capture every aspect of the cathedral.

Artist

Frederick H. Evans

Date

1911–12

Medium

Platinum print on cotton fabric

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Gift of Gordon Conn, 1954