"Ben at Sistine Chapel" captures a quiet moment of wonder. Seen from behind, a young traveler — Ben — tilts his head back, absorbed in the soaring frescoes of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The composition places the viewer just over his shoulder, so we share his upward gaze into Michelangelo's world: the intricate cornices, painted architectural framing, and tumbling figures that stretch across the vaulted ceiling. Photogravure's signature velvety blacks and continuous tonal gradations lend the image a luminous, painterly depth, rendering both the fine detail of the frescoes and the soft, simplified form of the boy's jacket and hair with remarkable subtlety. It's a portrait less about a face than about the experience of awe itself — the way a masterpiece can stop a young man in his tracks. 

For this hand-pulled photogravure etching, we press ink into fine art paper from a plate we create from the original image. Print is made with Gamblin Bone Black ink on Hahnemühle Copperplate paper.

These limited-edition prints are signed and numbered on the lower front. Image and paper sizes are approximate. Variations within the edition are possible and expected.  Image 12 cm square on 20 cm × 28 cm paper.