Ett författarskap i akademins gränsland : Stallmästare Johan Leven Ekelunds efterlämnade manuskript

Sammanfattning: Uppsala University Library owns eight volumes of manuscripts attributed to the academy equerry Johan Leven Ekelund (c.1701−1775). In this thesis, I apply methods from the field of material culture studies in order to establish which of the volumes that formed the donation from Leven to the library mentioned in his will. By mapping certain markers such as places, names and dates I am able to identify to some extent where Leven gained his practical skills and which writers influenced him. By analysing the texts, I draw the conclusion that the manuscripts can be divided into groups aimed for different audiences. Some of them fit in an utilitarian context, some of them aim to give riding and horsemanship scientific legitimacy. Some are aimed for a narrow circle of peers, connaisseurs of the art of riding. By examining Leven’s networks, I seek to shed light on whether he wrote in order to further his career. My conclusion is that in that case, Leven’s main focus was probably to help his son, who had a remarkably successful career as a physician after the death of his father.