Rejsedagbog 1845

This is a page from Johan Thomas Lundbye’s travel journal, produced in Denmark sometime in his short life before 1848. Lundbye was a painter associated with the Golden Age of Danish painting, but this is an example of how artists used sketchbooks and journals to record their impressions. In the 1840s, artists sought authentic experiences of nature and culture. Travel became not just a leisure activity, but a vital part of an artist’s education. Lundbye’s journal would have served as a personal record, and perhaps later as source material for paintings. The page shows a dense block of handwritten text in Danish. The handwriting is neat but hurried, suggesting it was written on the move. The content, though illegible here, would likely include observations on the landscapes he saw, people he met, and his reflections. These journals offer invaluable insights into the minds of 19th-century artists. They can be studied through close transcription, and contextualized using biographical research. By understanding the social and intellectual context, we can better understand the artist.