The Library of Leufstabruk: An Eighteenth Century Portal of Cultural Transfer Between Sweden and the Dutch Republic

The library of Leufstabruk is an eighteenth century private library in Sweden that was built up by industrialist and entomologist Charles De Geer (1720-1778). Approximately 1500 contemporary titles from the library were purchased by mail-order from the booksellers Samuel (II) and Johannes Luchtmans in Leiden. Leufstabruk was, however, not only a place where Enlightenment literature was brought in, but also a centre of knowledge production. In this article, I will explore Leufstabruk as a portal for cultural transfer between Sweden and the Dutch Republic, and consider how this collection may serve as a frame to rethink the emergence of Sweden as a centre of knowledge creation in the eighteenth century