Het oude keizerlijke paleis in Seoul 1952

David Ketel made this small photograph of the old Imperial Palace in Seoul sometime in the 20th century, likely with a humble camera. It's a view framed by trees, their branches reaching into the sky. The color palette is simple: greens and blues with dabs of light, like a child's paint box. Looking closely, it's the contrast that grabs you – the dark, velvety shadows against the bright, almost neon-green of the grass. The photograph has a tangible texture to it, like you could reach out and feel the cool, damp earth. There's a rhythm in the way the light filters through the trees, a visual echo of the patterns in the palace roof. It reminds me a little of the American painter Milton Avery, in its focus on light and pared back imagery, though Ketel is working with a very different medium. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art isn't just about grand gestures; it's also about finding beauty in the everyday, capturing a fleeting moment in time, and holding it still.