Rejsedagbog 1845

Johan Thomas Lundbye created this page from his travel journal in 1845 using ink on paper. Lundbye, a Danish painter and illustrator, lived during a time of burgeoning national romanticism. He was part of the cultural movement to define a unique Danish identity, turning to the landscape for answers. The intimate nature of a travel journal allows us to consider Lundbye's personal reflections, unfiltered by the demands of public presentation. The handwritten text gives us insight into his intellectual and emotional responses to the world around him, revealing how the concept of identity intertwined with the physical spaces he encountered. We see this as he grapples with themes of longing and belonging. Lundbye tragically died young, at the age of 29, during the First Schleswig War. His journal becomes a poignant artifact of a life cut short, inviting reflection on the fragility of existence and the enduring power of personal expression in the face of historical upheaval.