Artwork
Pax vobiscum
Pax vobiscum is a photographic photography by Herbert Felton. It dates from 1950 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Pax vobiscum is a 1950 black-and-white photograph capturing a serene interior scene within a cathedral. The image features a figure in a dark robe ascending stairs, set against the dramatic backdrop of a vaulted, columned space illuminated by stained-glass windows.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a contemplative, anonymous figure shrouded in a dark robe, their face obscured by a hood, evoking a sense of mystery and solitude. The setting and composition suggest a moment of quiet reflection or spiritual seeking.
Technique & Style
The photograph employs strong chiaroscuro, leveraging contrasting light and dark to create depth. Natural light streaming through stained-glass windows casts intricate shadows, emphasizing the geometric simplicity of the architectural elements.
History & Provenance
Created in 1950, specific details regarding the photograph's provenance and exhibition history are not provided in the available information.
Context
Pax vobiscum reflects the post-war interest in capturing the solace and tranquility found in religious spaces. The use of chiaroscuro links the work to a broader artistic tradition emphasizing dramatic lighting effects.
Legacy
While the photograph's broader impact or inclusion in significant collections is not detailed, its composition and lighting techniques place it within a continuum of mid-20th-century photographic explorations of light, shadow, and contemplative themes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Herbert Felton photographed quiet corners of British history in the mid-1900s. His lens captured the carved Handel statue in Westminster Abbey’s Poets’ Corner, the shadowed church pews at Gloucester Cathedral, and the…
Sculpture of George Frederick Handel, Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey
Church Interior with Sculptures
The Savage Memorial Table Tomb, Elmley Castle Church, Worcestershire
Gloucester Cathedral, The North Ambulatory, Tomb and Effigy of Osric of Hwicce
Gloucester Cathedral, the Tomb and Effigy of King Edward II in North Ambulatory- York Minster, North Transept
