Dagbog. Side 134 1844

Curator: Here we have "Dagbog. Side 134," or "Diary. Page 134," created by Johan Thomas Lundbye in 1844. It’s currently held at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Composed of pen and ink on paper, this work offers us a peek into the artist's personal reflections. What strikes you immediately? Editor: It feels incredibly intimate, like stumbling upon someone's deepest thoughts. The aged paper, the delicate, almost frantic hand lettering... it all gives off a vibe of intense vulnerability. Like you're not really meant to be reading it. Curator: That's precisely the sensation I believe Lundbye intended to convey. Think of the Romantic period, when personal experience was placed at a premium, then the daily act of writing becomes more than record-keeping; it becomes a vital outlet. You have to keep in mind here that while the paper may seem simple enough to our eyes, access to paper would have been far less ubiquitous in 1844. This may well have been a dedicated special object in and of itself, even a luxury object. Editor: Absolutely, and it's not just about the material value. I'm thinking about the labor involved, the dedicated time and craft he put into forming these letters so uniformly and with purpose. This level of consistency almost pushes this practice away from simply record keeping, doesn't it? The writing *is* the art here. The materials facilitate the process of mark-making which in turns speaks to these themes you mentioned earlier, these romantic interests of Lundbye’s… I suppose that’s precisely why this has a place within the gallery. Curator: I agree completely. The small lettering contributes significantly to the mood. The compressed nature makes it hard to read, making us strain. In the context of journal making, it gives me the sense of needing to be let into something secretive. The labor of writing and the private act are here fused to reveal something rather exceptional about the inner world of the artist. Editor: Seeing that intimate process visualized helps me connect with Lundbye in a really direct way. I get this real strong feeling that perhaps keeping this kind of journal allowed him to cope. Thanks for revealing those considerations! Curator: It was my pleasure, you've made some astute and observant points today about how production reflects content.