Rejsedagbog 1845

This is a page from Johan Thomas Lundbye’s travel journal. The year is unknown, though Lundbye was active in the first half of the 19th century. It’s made with paper and ink, of course—humble materials that have served as the bedrock of culture for millennia. The importance here is in the act of writing itself. Before photography was widely available, a travel journal like this one was an indispensable tool for artists. Words could capture fleeting impressions, forming a kind of mental sketchbook. Lundbye would have then taken these notes back to his studio, using them as source material for more finished works. Note the intense labor involved; the slow, deliberate act of handwriting filling every available space on the page. Today, we might dash off a quick text message or snap a digital photo. But in Lundbye's time, this kind of focused attention to detail was essential to the creative process. It’s a reminder that art-making is always intertwined with the technologies and cultural practices of its time.