Rejsedagbog 1845

Curator: Here we have Johan Thomas Lundbye’s “Rejsedagbog,” or Travel Journal, created in 1845. The media employed are drawing in ink on paper. It's part of the collection at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: My first impression is intimacy. It’s that glimpse into someone’s private thoughts, carefully inscribed, a silent dialogue across time on aged paper. The density of the text creates a kind of textured field. Curator: Absolutely. This is an incredible document, offering insights into the cultural landscape of the mid-19th century, but also a window into Lundbye's mind as he traveled. The socio-political context of travel during this period, especially for artists, is fascinating. Editor: Indeed. It’s crucial to remember that Romanticism—the artistic movement to which Lundbye is closely linked—emphasized personal experience, subjective feeling, and a deep connection to nature. We’re presented with what seems to be the artist trying to grapple with the relationship of lived experience to natural philosophy through script. Curator: He was certainly immersed in those ideas. It’s more than just a visual record of a trip; it's an exploration of identity and perception. We can consider the journal as a product of and contribution to contemporary philosophical discussions surrounding nation, culture, and belonging. He is participating in solidifying cultural nationalism at this historical moment. Editor: Yes. The hand-written text lends itself to feeling very close to Lundbye's personal experience. It reminds us of the labor involved in documenting these experiences and turning the journey into something beyond simply travel. The very act of writing becomes part of the art-making. Curator: Thinking about it further, I am struck by how the sketchbook serves as both a document of an internal and an external journey. He intertwines his subjective experience within broader societal shifts and nascent scientific ideologies. Editor: For me, seeing this journal unlocks a lot more, inviting considerations about who we think an artist like Lundbye was, what inspired him, and, crucially, the contexts he was operating within.