Rejsedagbog. Amsterdam 1846

This is a page from Johan Thomas Lundbye's travel journal, likely penned in 1846, using ink on paper. The composition is dominated by neat, consistent handwriting filling the rectangular page. The density of the script creates a visual texture, almost like an abstract pattern, inviting us to consider the act of writing itself. The controlled hand evokes a sense of order and introspection, typical of travel journals of the time. But it also suggests the subjective experience of recording impressions and thoughts. Lundbye’s use of language here becomes a form of mark-making, similar to drawing or sketching. The linguistic structure destabilizes into pure visual form, raising questions about how we derive meaning from written texts. Is it in the information conveyed or the aesthetic experience of the script? The carefully inscribed words function both practically and artistically, highlighting the intersection between communication and expression.