Rejsedagbog. Haag 1846

Curator: This page from Johan Thomas Lundbye's travel journal, "Rejsedagbog. Haag" from 1846, it’s…intimate. Almost like glimpsing someone’s private thoughts. Editor: Exactly! It's ink on paper and textile and looks so personal. What strikes you about this piece, given that it is part of his travel journal? Curator: It reminds us that travelogues are always subjective records. Lundbye was a Romantic artist. Do you see how his own emotional and philosophical framework inevitably shaped his observations? Editor: I guess so, he would only write down what he sees or what he feels about certain situations. It would be filtered through his lens. Curator: Precisely. The seemingly straightforward act of documenting is actually steeped in layers of interpretation, influenced by the author's background, beliefs, and the socio-political context of the time. What are your thoughts on his role? Is he merely an observer or something more? Editor: Maybe more. I think he is shaping the narrative based on his ideas, making it difficult to view the document as neutral, if such a thing were ever possible. It appears as though, by engaging with places like Haag, Lundbye situates himself in dialogue with broader European intellectual currents of the 19th century. Curator: Right. His words and drawings become a powerful form of self-construction. I love how this reminds us that history is never a single story, but a collection of individual experiences. Editor: And how even the simplest sketch or journal entry can open up such a rich and complex dialogue about identity, perspective, and power.