Dagbog. Side 94 1840 - 1844

Editor: Here we have a page, number 94, from Johan Thomas Lundbye's journal, dating from 1840 to 1844. It’s an intimate look at what must have been his everyday thoughts and experiences, all captured with ink on paper, and seemingly bound in some kind of textile. What stands out to you as you examine it? Curator: Well, the materiality itself speaks volumes. The immediate and accessible nature of paper and ink meant that Lundbye could record his observations with little mediation. There was no requirement of expensive or rare materials to create value in the work. Note how the hand-written script becomes the image, each stroke an individual labor, a daily task. Do you see any tension between the personal reflections recorded in the journal and the almost mundane materials from which it is constructed? Editor: I guess it challenges this idea of preciousness that we often associate with art… it's quite democratic in a way. So, how does understanding the materials affect how we perceive Lundbye's romantic style, known for its landscapes? Curator: Exactly! Romanticism often implies grand narratives and sublime emotions, yet here we have it expressed through the everyday, through readily available materials. The labor of writing, the production of the book itself, contrasts the more conventional view that elevates creative genius above the social and economic contexts. How does this make you think about Lundbye and his practice? Editor: It's fascinating to think of his artmaking as inherently linked to such ordinary tools, challenging boundaries and suggesting we expand our ideas of how art comes into being! Thank you. Curator: Indeed. Looking at the process and materiality enriches our understanding, connecting the art to the real, tangible world.