Rejsedagbog. Firenze 1846

This is a page from Johan Thomas Lundbye's travel journal, undated, held at the SMK. The visual structure is immediately dominated by script. The density of the writing, rendered in a dark ink, creates a textured surface across the page. Lundbye's choice to prioritize the written word, rather than sketches or drawings, offers insight into his artistic process. In a semiotic sense, the words function as signs, recording his observations and reflections during his travels. The act of writing becomes a performative gesture, a way of capturing and processing his experiences. The page destabilizes conventional notions of the travel journal, it privileges linguistic representation over visual depiction. Consider how Lundbye's journal invites us to reconsider the relationship between seeing and knowing, between observation and interpretation. This interplay challenges us to actively engage with the material, recognizing that meaning is not inherent but constructed through the dynamic interaction between the reader and the text.