In spring 2019, the storm had covered the Alps with a metre of snow. But the furious winds had swept across the ridges, sculpting the Matterhorn in a contrasting array of rock and ice. At dawn, when night finally gave way to day, the mountain appeared, striking: a colossal pyramid rising from the darkness, a timeless monument seemingly reborn from nothing.

In this black-and-white photograph, the east face and the Italian side are revealed in a rare light. The fresh snow, pressed against the wall, forms a perfect triangle that reveals the full majesty of the summit. It's this unique interplay between shadow and radiance that I like to capture: the fleeting moment when the mountain, still trapped in the darkness, allows itself to be touched by the emerging light.

On the left, the Lion ridge stands out clearly. It seems to soar like a majestic sphinx, resting its legs at the foot of the wall to establish the Matterhorn's presence. This line, the historic route from Cervinia, is both a challenge and a promise: it leads climbers to the summit, where the summit cross defies the sky.

And then, a discreet but precious detail: at bottom right, the Hörnli refuge appears, tiny against the immensity. The starting point for so many climbs, it reminds us that man remains infinitesimal at the foot of this queenly mountain.

This work is a tribute to the power and elegance of the Matterhorn. In this dawn light, after the storm, it embodies both the ruggedness and beauty of the Alps: an invincible pyramid, a sphinx of ice and stone, an eternal symbol of grandeur.