Palace gate, Seoul, Korea, 1896

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A royal palace gate in Seoul gives this 1896 view its setting, at a time when the Joseon court was under heavy outside pressure. The record comes from an unverified caption card, so the specific gate and exact circumstances are uncertain, though the print is listed in the John Barrett Collection. That year, Seoul was caught between Japanese and Russian influence after the Sino-Japanese War, and King Gojong had recently moved out of the palace to the Russian legation. Gates like this one anchored the court's ceremonial life, so their presence in photographs from the period is worth noticing for what they reveal about traditional architecture.

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