Rejsedagbog 1845

Curator: Today we're looking at "Rejsedagbog," or "Travel Journal," dating back to 1845, by Johan Thomas Lundbye, housed at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. It's primarily ink on paper, revealing delicate script. Editor: It immediately strikes me as intimate, like eavesdropping on a private moment. The close crop enhances that sense, doesn't it? The paper seems almost fragile. Curator: Absolutely. Lundbye’s journal offers a unique window into the 19th century—specifically, into the travel experiences and reflections of a Danish artist deeply engaged with his surroundings. Consider the sociopolitical context. Travel was becoming increasingly accessible yet remained a privilege, shaping perspectives. Editor: Focusing on form, the artist’s choice of a small, bound journal is significant. The deliberate act of writing, the linear progression, creates its own visual rhythm. It encourages a sequential reading; you see thoughts evolving, ideas taking shape in real time. The hand is the instrument, the script the product of the mind and the social customs in its structure and appearance. Curator: And what thoughts! Beyond simply logging daily events, Lundbye recorded his observations about the people he encountered, the landscapes that inspired him. It speaks to Romanticism's influence and the rising middle-class of travelers who desired more than merely aristocratic adventures. Editor: I’m fascinated by the relationship between the seen and unseen. The visible script invites us into Lundbye's world, while the unwritten spaces suggest deeper thoughts, untold stories. The material presence of the paper and ink enhances that invitation. Curator: Ultimately, "Rejsedagbog" encapsulates the intersection of personal experience, artistic practice, and the burgeoning travel culture of its time, making it more than a book of observations. Editor: Indeed. It offers insights into both the journey and the very nature of recording a journey, both visually and literally revealing that one never looks at something the same way, before and after.