Blank. Side 1 1840 - 1844

Here is a blank page made by Johan Thomas Lundbye, sometime before 1848. It consists simply of paper, bound into a small book. The labor involved in producing paper is often overlooked, but it is integral to art history. This seemingly simple sheet results from a complex web of materials and processes. From the harvesting of fibers, to the pulping and pressing, each step demands a skilled artisan. The labor involved in the making of this object is easy to overlook, yet the quality of the sheet – its texture, its color, its very capacity to receive an image – depends entirely on the work that has gone into it. By considering the material foundation of even a blank page, we recognize that art is always a product of human activity. The integration of craft into fine art challenges the idea that art exists in a realm separate from everyday life.