Rejsedagbog 1845

This is a page from Johan Thomas Lundbye’s travel journal, created sometime in the 1840s. Lundbye, a Danish painter and illustrator, lived during the Danish Golden Age, a period marked by intense national romanticism. This page offers an intimate glimpse into Lundbye’s personal reflections and travel experiences. As he journeys through different landscapes, we see how he grapples with themes of national identity and belonging. Lundbye, like many artists of his time, sought to define what it meant to be Danish. We see him processing the emotional weight of travel. He is caught between a sense of wonder and a longing for home. His words convey a deep connection to the land, while subtly acknowledging feelings of displacement. Through this journal entry, Lundbye not only documents his travels, but also invites us to contemplate the complex interplay between personal identity and national context. He transforms the page into a mirror reflecting both his inner world and the broader cultural landscape of 19th-century Denmark.