A palace of my own
[TIL #43] Notes from a sunny winter day
Folks,
A short train ride from Lisbon followed by a 20-minute stroll from the station, and here is the National Palace of Queluz, an exuberant residence to three generations of the royal family of Portugal. Designed in architectural styles that range from baroque to neo-classicism, this is a seemingly infinite succession of mirror-covered walls, elaborate high ceilings, intricate chandeliers and streaks of sunlight falling through the elegant windows.
Evocations of the luxurious lifestyle and intrigues of any court, often leaving untold the fact that it all happened at the expense of ordinary folks, tend to cause a feeling of revulsion that borders on a call to arms and revolution. But on that sunny winter day, i happened to be the only visitor to have shown up at the door and i had the extravagant palace all to myself for most of my time there. It had been only the faintest curiosity that had taken me to Queluz on an otherwise unoccupied week day, and i had little expectations as i entered. Revolutionary velleities were quickly silenced by the rhythm of the natural light intertwined with the elegant and subtle balance of the ageing edifice.
A slow, 4-hour walk through the building and the gardens felt like one of the good concerts, when you’re carried away by a powerful energy that you don’t necessarily understand but whose beauty and depth are undeniable. As when playing a vinyl record, cracks in the painting, stains on the tapestry were the sort of imperfections that contributed to the majesty of the work. At the end, as i exited, i could feel that i was taking away some inner light that was the lasting echo of the glorious celebration i had just attended.
In a combination of texts and photographs, the Tales of Ink and Light are a collection of poems, short stories (fiction or documentary) or essays that explore the strange beauty of our world. From portraits of individual lives to musings on social justice, from travel diaries to an exploration of the intricacies of identity, the Tales are a cauldron of meaning-making. The newsletter is published weekly-ish, one week in English and the other in French as les Contes d’encre et de lumière.
Thank you for taking part in the Tales of Ink and Light. It’s good to have you on board.
Pierre François D.
Love the light in the photographs Pierre
Beautiful! Looks like you picked the perfect day for it. The light in your images is mesmerizing!