Johan Thomas Lundbye, a significant Danish painter who captured the essence of the Danish landscape, deserves a dedicated museum to showcase his life, work, and the artistic circle he inhabited. Despite his tragically short life (1818-1848), cut short by an accidental gunshot, Lundbye left an indelible mark on Danish art, with his landscape paintings defining the very idea of the Danish ideal.
The absence of a dedicated Lundbye museum is a disservice to his legacy. His life, though brief, was rich and complex, intertwined with other notable visual artists, each with their own compelling stories. Lundbye meticulously documented his life through diaries, letters, and detailed notes accompanying his hundreds of drawings, offering myriad entry points into his artistic world.
Kalundborg, Lundbye’s birthplace, would be the ideal location for such a museum, especially since many of his beloved motifs can still be found there. The town, currently experiencing significant investment and hosting the Royal Academy’s planning education, would greatly benefit from a cultural landmark like a Lundbye museum. The existing Lundbye Committee has demonstrated considerable public interest through its Lundbye Art Festival, revealing untapped material suitable for exciting exhibitions.
Lundbye’s artistic talent was evident from a young age, leading him to the Copenhagen Art Academy at 14. There, he forged close friendships with future artistic luminaries such as P.C. Skovgaard, Lorenz Frølich, Jens Adolf Jerichau, and sculptor H.W. Bissen, who even used Lundbye’s features for his monument to “The Brave National Soldier.”
His diaries and letters reveal a restless, possibly bipolar mind, oscillating between euphoria and depression. He often channeled these emotions through his alter ego, the hill troll Sindre, whom he depicted with his own features, offering a unique and modern exploration of the duality of the Romantic artist.
Lundbye’s exceptional draftsmanship is evident in his depictions of animals, people, and his trollish alter ego. Despite the mystery surrounding his decision to volunteer in the First Schleswig War and the circumstances of his death, the drama and intrigue surrounding his life only strengthen the case for a museum dedicated to his work.
In the meantime, the Kalundborg Lundbye Committee has created 18 “landmarks” in and around Kalundborg, accompanied by a comprehensive book by Lundbye expert Jens Balslev, titled “Johan Thomas Lundbye – Life, landscapes and landmarks.” The book offers a thorough exploration of Lundbye’s life, excerpts from his writings, and background information on his relationships, as well as details about each of the 18 landmarks. These landmarks offer a tangible connection to Lundbye’s world and provide a compelling reason to explore Kalundborg and its surroundings.