2020 - 2025  |  Text to the monograph Naturae Observatio SPITSBERGEN Science Expeditions

iTEXTILIS's involvement in this publishing project began in 2020 when Viveka Hansen examined a wide range of historical sources related to Spitsbergen (Svalbard) voyages spanning five centuries, with particular focus on Prins Karls Forland and Forlandsøyane. First-hand practical experiences from earlier years as a participant in the “Bridge Builder Expeditions Spitsbergen” voyages 2016-2020 – provided insight into situations faced by earlier explorers in the freezing Arctic climate – whether outdoors on the mothership, in a zodiac, or during landings on Nordøya, one of the three small islands of Forlandsøyane situated west of Spitsbergen. The landscape is stunning, rugged, and mountainous, with thousands of glaciers contrasting with fjords and wetland vegetation. Despite the persistent cold, sailors during the 16th to 19th centuries might have gained some advantage by gradually acclimatising to the rolling sea and changing weather patterns during journeys lasting a month or more, until reaching their destination. Upon finally arriving on land in the Spitsbergen area, more challenges arose, and inlets became hazardous if ice-free. Being a visitor in an area inhabited by polar bears also posed dangers; great caution must be exercised both in small boats and on land, in earlier times as well as today. 

Hansen’s research and writing came to focus on:

• Maps and charts of the area
• Exploration and whaling
• Scientific expeditions – the 1670s to 1840s
• Scientific expeditions – the 1850s to the present day
• Hunting – Livelihood, Science and Wealthy Tourists
• Mountaineering and Tourism 
• An in-depth study of the Linnaeus apostle Anton Rolandsson Martin’s life and Arctic voyage

The publishing project was finalised in May 2025, with the volume Naturae Observatio SPITSBERGEN Science Expeditions, comprising a total of 454 pages. In this monograph, among many writers, Viveka Hansen contributed two historical chapters: “Prince Charles Foreland | Prins Karls Forland & Forlandsøyane | 16th Century to Present-day Voyages” and “A Linnaeus Apostle in the Arctic | Anton Rolandsson Martin” (covering over 50 pages and large-sized foldouts). She was also the subject editor for the book section “The Chronicle” within this long-term project.

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2017 – ongoing | Essays: The Story | Fieldwork
– The Linnaean Way

“I was glad to note what was necessary with my pencil and the notebook kept in my pocket,” wrote the Linnaeus apostle Pehr Osbeck in a letter to Carl Linnaeus on 14 October 1752. This quote may serve as a symbol of the aim of this project, that is, to understand the practical aspects of fieldwork and journeys in natural history during the 18th century. 

The project is closely connected to the research and publishing work, The Linnaeus Apostles – Global Science & Adventure, within The IK Foundation and the project “Bridge Builder Expeditions”, which involves current travels in many European countries, North America, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, and the Arctic regions. 

This iProject will provide a deeper understanding of 18th-century travels and fieldwork – before, during, and after – from the perspectives of not only the naturalists but also their assistants, local guides, and patrons. Carl Linnaeus and his seventeen Apostles clearly had an extensive network over their lifetimes, and a remarkable number of these individuals knew each other through a complex mix of personal meetings and correspondence. While women were rarely seen as travellers among the roughly one hundred connected individuals, they often assisted with the naturalists’ personal belongings. Mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, washerwomen, knitters, and weavers undoubtedly helped in preparing clothing or scientific writings, copying letters, and more. 

Even if a traveller’s instructions, written before a journey, were often followed as carefully as possible, many observations seem to have been accidental, often providing additional or different information than initially intended – personal belongings and collections were also part of these random encounters. The overall project has been examined from a wide range of sources, in the best possible way, to understand the practical everyday needs and experiences during long journeys over land and sea in the 18th century.  

• COLLECTIONS: handwritten travel journals and diaries, correspondence, and other personal accounts, along with inventory lists onboard ships/East India Company, purchasing lists, and estate inventories.
• PRINTED SOURCES: 18th-century travel journals, travel expenses, newspapers, and adverts, supplemented by secondary literature from the 18th century to the present.
• PHYSICAL OBJECTS: chests, clothes, fabric samples, herbaria, etc.
• VISUAL SOURCES: contemporary prints and paintings.
• FIELD STUDIES: conducted within the “Bridge Builder Expedition” framework, including visits to actual 18th-century fieldwork sites to understand practical circumstances in the same geographical locations.
• The findings of 18th-century naturalists are well-known and have been published from many different perspectives over the past century. However, modern research has not given the same level of attention to the practical aspects. Naturally, without understanding both the theoretical results and practical elements, we know little about the full scope of how their scientific aims, successes, failures, and final outputs were achieved. At The IK Foundation, one of its primary missions within all multidisciplinary work has always been to view the world from a combined practical and theoretical perspective, mirroring everyday life for all humans.

Regarding this, IK has been advocating for over thirty years for long-term, practically oriented projects, showcasing their results through exhibitions, publications, and digital media. A few notable examples since the start of the 2000s include: 

• The Return of the Linnaeus Apostles, an exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
• The groundbreaking section ‘Practical Aspects’ in Volume One of The Linnaeus Apostles – Global Science & Adventure was written, among others, by Ragnar Edberg, Viveka Hansen, Henry Smeathman, and Per Sörbom.
• The monograph Textilia Linnaeana – Global 18th Century Traditions & Trade by Viveka Hansen.
• The ongoing publication of essays related to 18th-century Natural & Cultural History from a textile perspective.
• The “Bridge Builder Expeditions" is the overarching term for a series of contemporary and scientifically sustainable projects established by The IK Foundation. This initiative aims to inspire and enhance understanding of our shared planet. These projects are rooted in the ideas of retracing and raising both practical and theoretical knowledge from the journeys of the Linnaeus Apostles.

PROJECT FACTS

• The story | Fieldwork – the Linnaean way

SUBJECTS

• 18th Century Studies
• Geography
• Textile History
• Natural History
• History of Science
• Economic History
• Fieldwork

TIMELINE

• 2017 – The start of the project.
• 2018 – Initial research, fieldwork, and fundraising.
• 2019-2020 – Ongoing research, fieldwork, fundraising, and follow-up work.
• 2018 onwards – Essays and transcribed documents under a Creative Commons licence.
• 2021 onwards – Book chapters in the printed series Mundus Linnæi.
• 2025 onwards – Long-read essays and ongoing fundraising.

PROMOTION

Book chapters in the series Mundus Linnæi

• ESSAYS | iTEXTILIS

HUMAN RESOURCES 

• Textile historian Viveka Hansen

2025 - Ongoing fundraising  |  Beyond the Arctic Circle – An Exploration of Scientific Travels Through a Textile Lens

iTEXTILIS is also fundraising for an upcoming project related to the volume Naturae Observatio SPITSBERGEN Science Expeditions, published in 2025. This project has the working title: “Beyond the Arctic Circle – An Exploration of Scientific Travels Through a Textile Lens”. 

The project, to be publicised in digital and printed forms, aims to focus on the importance of the practical aspects of warming clothes and other textiles during Arctic travels in the period 1700-1920s. 

2025 - Ongoing fundraising  |  Essay volumes — celebrating the elegance of both classic print and the modern digital landscape.

A long-term goal is to publish iTEXTILIS digital essays in printed form, with 20-25 essays in each volume, elegantly presented and richly illustrated. Fundraising will commence in fall 2025. Some of the subject ideas will include:

• Textiles, Natural History and Gardens
• Global Textile Trade and Trade-cards
• Dyeing, Household Weaving and Manufacturing
• Embroidery, Knitting and other Handicraft
• Fashion, Clothes and Shopping
• Biographical and Geographical Textile Stories

This iProject stands as a compelling testament to decades of dedicated research, fieldwork, and substantial investments across three continents. It not only documents these extensive efforts but also pioneers an innovative approach – combining the timeless appeal of a printed book with the boundless possibilities of the digital world. Together, they aim to ignite curiosity, inspire future generations, and catalyse breakthroughs in knowledge and understanding.