Forkroppen af en forspændt hest, set fra en vogn. Samt rejsedagbog. Voghera 1846

This pencil drawing of a horse’s forequarters, seen from a carriage, was made by Johan Thomas Lundbye in Voghera, Italy. Lundbye made the sketch in his travel journal. The journal shows the way that artists were trained in the 19th century. Institutions such as the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts saw travel as vital for educating artists. Italy, especially, was seen as a place where artists could connect to the classical tradition and to the Renaissance. The image also speaks to the Romantic movement's changing view of nature. Rather than idealizing it, artists sought to capture its immediacy and grandeur. As art historians, we might consult Lundbye’s diaries, letters, and other archival materials to understand the social and institutional context of his artistic production better. What emerges is a picture of art deeply embedded in its time.