The Aiguille Verte (4122m) is a mythical summit of the Mont Blanc massif. It stands alone, dominating the surrounding area. Far below, the remnants of the Mer de glace flow slowly down its flanks. The needle is massive and impressive. It is a fortress that has long remained unconquered: it succumbed to the reckless attempts of the famous Whymper on June 29, 1865; and, on the 14th of the same month Next, the intrepid English mountaineer triumphed over a small Valais rock called the Matterhorn.

This photograph of the Aiguille Verte is unique. I wanted to show the western side of this mountain by lining up the three main historic ascent routes, all of which are legendary. On the left, the unnamed ridge shimmers with ice and snow: it's the brightest part of the picture. In the center, the arête du Moine tears through the composition like a bolt of lightning. It gives this shot its full force. Between rock and ice, it rises powerfully to the heavens, piercing a thick sea of clouds. To the right, in the deep, mysterious shadow of this celestial kingdom, the Garden ridge remains unobtrusive, bathed in the deep blacks of the massif. In a Light-obscure, the Whymper couloir appears, perilous and inhospitable, despite being the simplest access route.

The strength of this photograph lies in its mastery of contrasts. Everything is there, harmoniously distributed: the brilliant whites of the needle embellished by the last rays of sunlight still touching the peaks; the play of powerful greys, outlining the foothills of summit; the ebony of the rocks flaying the wisps of creamy clouds... this work is a dream, a blend of impressions. Alive, it moves, comes alive. The attentive viewer senses the wind's Powerful breath; the tepidness of dying rays; the eternal, mystical silence of night settling in after a winter storm. Everything in this shot calls for verticality: ridges clash, rocks rise. Earth and sky resonate in unison.

With the Matterhorn, the Eiger and the Grandes Jorasses, this mountain is a challenge: it's a wild diamond.