Prestance Alpine

This magnificent panorama shows the Matterhorn and The Dent d'Hérens dominating the Swiss canton of Valais. These famous summits 4000-meter peaks are photographed here from the high glaciers of the Val d'Hérens. This profile is only visible to mountaineers climbing the Tête Blanche or the Tête de Valpelline, and to those taking the road from Chamonix to Zermatt. This angle of view highlights the Zmutt and Lion ridges, which give the Matterhorn its distinctive shape. I was lucky enough to climb these two summits, which are unquestionably 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 periods when the north faces of summits are illuminated by the sun. The mountains, freshly plastered with snow, had just been battered by a storm that was still threatening. The sky was heavy and I didn't know whether it would clear or not. I was waiting for nature to do its work when, all of a sudden, the sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the north faces of the Matterhorn and the Matterhorn with its rays. The Dent d'Hérens. For an instant, the spectacle was magical. And I was there at just the right moment to immortalize it. Then the clouds once again buried the mountain under their grey down. Ephemeral splendor captured by the photographer's eye. A powerful and iconic portrait of two legendary summits offering their icy faces to the light of spring.

I love the intense, radiant depth of this work. In the foreground, the shadow reflects the light, revealing all the details of the mountain, albeit in shadow. The Matterhorn and the The Dent d'HérensThe charisma of the Matterhorn and the Matterhorn, the painting's heroes, is enhanced by an elegant interplay of light and shadow. In the background, the Monte Rosa massif, shrouded in clouds, lends a regal dimension to the work. The beauty of a powerful, unchanging nature. The depth of emotion evoked by the purity of the mountains. All is immensity.