Kunstnerens signatur (forsats) 1840 - 1844

Curator: This is a page from Johan Thomas Lundbye's sketchbook, specifically "Kunstnerens signatur (forsats)", dating from 1840 to 1844. Editor: It’s remarkably sparse. Almost severe. The blank page dominates, drawing attention to the texture of the paper and the deep red binding. It feels like a stage set, ready for action. Curator: Absolutely. Lundbye’s signature is carefully inscribed, almost like a symbolic invocation. It represents not only his presence, but also the potential contained within the blank pages—the endless possibilities of the sketchbook. Editor: And the materiality itself speaks volumes. The worn edges of the paper, the visible grain, they ground the romanticism. It reminds us that even inspiration relies on tangible, earthly materials and processes. Think of the paper mill, the binders... a whole economy of making lies behind this single opening. Curator: It's interesting to consider that the sketchbook wasn't intended as a finished product, but rather a space for the artist's own private contemplation, the raw energy of ideas taking form. It reflects a Romantic emphasis on individual expression and inner experience. Editor: Exactly! The object itself would have been an intimate, portable space, ready to capture immediate sensations, observations, and impressions while being relatively inexpensive compared to other artworks. A vehicle for experimentation and visual journaling. Curator: Yes. And looking at it now, it almost feels like a sacred space, this commitment to recording a vision. We see Lundbye laying claim to that blankness, and by extension, the visions he will inscribe on its pages. Editor: Ultimately, it is more than just the beginning of something but an item with a context of production and labor; of choices made by the artist about materials, about cost, about utility. The redness pulls my gaze and underscores a humble but potent aesthetic value in simplicity. Curator: Considering the artistic potential enclosed within this simple design makes one reflect on the role and agency an empty, waiting medium can embody for creative expression. Editor: I agree, it emphasizes the fundamental role materials and making hold for our art experience.