Stunning image, reminiscent of Greek statues of athletes fighting large snakes, especially Laocoön. Tony Ward is seen bending at the waist, as if struggling under the chain's weight. Posed before a simple backdrop, his body is isolated for the viewer's delectation—his black hair shines, his muscular arms and legs bulge—caressed by the hard sunlight that warms and illuminates. The extraordinary sense of movement is not only forward but also upward in a tortuous S-curve that has been long associated with the dramatic, writhing bodies of 17th-century Baroque painting and sculpture. This is an exquisite image, with the tonal range and warmth of a platinum print.

This is a genuine vintage photogravure, printed in 1988. Archivally matted to 16" x 20" in a black frame.