Regnskab 1846 1846

Curator: Martinus Rørbye’s “Regnskab 1846” - which roughly translates to "Ledger 1846" - is right in front of us. Created with ink and watercolor on paper, it provides a detailed look at the accounting practices from that time. I must admit, at first glance, it looks a bit chaotic but that seems rather apt, doesn’t it? Editor: Chaotic is definitely a word that springs to mind. I'm struck by how ordinary this artifact feels. It's a page from a commonplace ledger. It is not framed and pristine on the wall but we're seeing, aren't we, the bones of commerce laid bare - and there is so much beauty there. Curator: It makes you wonder about the transactions themselves and I am wondering where it was composed - the handwriting style gives the piece an archaic yet also intimate feel. Did Rørbye sketch this from life, on location? And to what extent might he be highlighting the intersection between the art world and everyday mercantile exchange? Editor: I'm drawn to the physicality of it. Think of the labour involved! Each entry penned by hand and its original context, the materiality of ink and paper. It is speaking silently, I feel, about how artistic production and material existence were interwoven at this point in history. It certainly wasn't created in a vacuum. It is the perfect combination of texture, text and time. Curator: Precisely. When you linger on its markings, these handwritten entries become less of a chore and more a portal to the mid-19th century. One could trace Rørbye’s expenses back, reconstruct their lives, their artistic journey, through this intimate record. There’s a ghostly quality about it. It reminds me, a little, of a photograph - the art of writing used in the same mode - in the attempt to capture or ‘freeze’ a moment. Editor: Indeed! When viewing Rørbye’s account book it presents a rare window to not just economic activities but everyday concerns of the time. It’s both an inventory of supplies and a fascinating piece that brings us face to face with the lived reality that generated art.