Skitse og rejsedagbog. Italien, Tyskland, Belgien og Holland 1846 1846

Curator: This object, hailing from 1846, is entitled "Skitse og rejsedagbog. Italien, Tyskland, Belgien og Holland 1846", a sketchbook and travel journal created by Johan Thomas Lundbye. Editor: There’s something so intimate about this little book. It looks almost like a well-worn keepsake, that marbled cover whispering secrets of forgotten journeys. I feel a connection to this person. Curator: Indeed, the book's very design speaks volumes. The marbling, that chance effect, introduces an element of the sublime as the organic design mimics patterns one might observe in the natural world. The visual balance derives from its small, rectangular format, providing structure while letting the unpredictable marbled cover introduce variety. Editor: I see it as a microcosm of life itself. This idea of order in this little container, trying to tame the chaos and adventure, I guess! What medium did Lundbye use within? Curator: The artworks inside consist primarily of drawings done on paper. Lundbye was, of course, a key figure in Danish Romanticism, and the journal form itself suggests a deep engagement with personal experience and the aesthetics of nature, central tenets of Romanticism. The covers themselves serve as frames, defining a private space for creativity and reflection. Editor: It makes me wonder, what did he write and sketch? What worlds did he capture? What’s amazing is how tactile this feels despite just seeing a photo of it, as if my fingers could trace the aged paper and binding. I wonder where it all took place... Curator: Given its provenance at the SMK – Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark and that we know Lundbye was inspired by a Danish context—especially that of nature, which, within the history of art represents far more than just nature but national identity and its constructions and revisions—this book likely had a critical role in the production of those artworks we remember him for today. Editor: Ah, yes, this artifact offers an amazing, physical pathway into an artist's creative development. Imagine flipping through it and seeing this thought process take shape, city by city, idea by idea! This little journal unlocks entire universes. Curator: Precisely, the book becomes a metonym for the journeys—geographic, artistic, intellectual—the artist undertook during his travels and maturation as an artist. This sketchbook is more than just a collection of paper—it is a testament to how intrinsic practice is within any great artist's output. Editor: I totally agree! What an incredible insight to hold right there in your hands!