The Hidden Stories of the Linnaeus Herbarium

In this book, photographer Lena Granefelt literally illuminates herbarium sheets from two of the most significant Linnaean collections in the world, one held by the Linnean Society of London and the other by the Swedish Museum of Natural History. In the light from Granefelt’s flash invisible details emerge: the structure of the paper, watermarks, and notes that bring together the thoughts and observations of botanists from many different eras. Colours also re-emerge, folds and enclosed seeds become visible. This photographic documentation is accompanied by the words of Sverker Sörlin, historian of ideas and professor of environmental history, who examines the practicalities of plant collecting and reveals the contribution of herbaria to a revolution in knowledge about our world.