Description

This magnificent panorama shows the Matterhorn and the The Dent d'Hérens dominating the canton of Valais, in Switzerland. These famous summits of more than 4000 meters of altitude are photographed here from the high glaciers of the Val d'Hérens. A profile that is only visible to mountaineers who climb the Tête Blanche or the Tête de Valpelline and to those who take the road from Chamonix to Zermatt. This angle of view highlights the Zmutt and Lion ridges, which give the Matterhorn its particular shape. I had the chance to climb these two summits, which are undoubtedly among my favorite mountains in the Alps. The hanging glaciers that adorn the north face of The Dent d'Hérens fascinate me. And the extraordinary presence of these giants of the Alps overwhelms me.

I took this photograph in late spring, during one of the rare times when the north faces of summits are lit up by the sun. The mountains, freshly plastered with snow, had just been hit by a storm that was still threatening. The sky was heavy and I didn't know if it would clear or not. I was waiting for nature to do its work when, suddenly, the sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the northern faces of the Matterhorn and the The Dent d'Hérens. For a moment, the show was magical. And I was there, at the right moment, to immortalize it. Then the clouds buried the mountain again under their grey down. Ephemeral splendor captured by the photographer's eye. A powerful and iconic portrait of two legendary summits offering their icy face to the spring light.

I love the intense and vivid depth of this work. In the foreground, the shadow reflects the light, giving to see, although darkened, all the details of the mountain. The Matterhorn and the The Dent d'Hérens, heroes of the painting, see their charisma magnified by an elegant play of light and shadow. In the background, the massif of Mount Rose, shrouded in clouds, gives a royal dimension to the work. Beauty of a powerful and unchanging nature. The depth of the emotions aroused by the purity of the mountains. Everything here is immensity.