1. Stefansson, Vilhjalmur. The Friendly Arctic: The Story of Five Years in Polar Regions. New York : Macmillan Co., 1932. (cover) [G630.C2 S8 1932]
This iconic photograph of Stefansson, taken by Sir Hubert Wilkins on the Canadian Arctic Expedition (1913-1918), was used as the frontispiece for Stefansson’s book, The Friendly Arctic: The Story of Five Years in Polar Regions. It is emblematic of Stefansson’s relationship with food and hunting in the Arctic. His research on the Arctic and the effectiveness of an all-meat diet, very similar to Inuit diet, served as an entry point for his extensive work in the Arctic throughout his life and led to deeper interactions with the Inuit population on his expeditions. Stefansson’s expeditions thrust him into the public eye, where his research gained exposure and he developed his image as a fearless explorer and the face of Arctic studies.
2. Stefansson, Vilhjalmur. The Friendly Arctic: The Story of Five Years in Polar Regions. New York : Macmillan Co., 1932. (p. 314) [G630.C2 S8 1932]
In this photograph from Stefansson’s book, The Friendly Arctic: The Story of Five Years in Polar Regions, four men stand triumphantly atop a traditional Eskimo snowhouse; as the caption reads, “a snowhouse will support almost any weight.” In line with Stefansson’s vision and highlighted in The Friendly Arctic, this photograph prompts one to reimagine the Arctic as a comfortable and sustainable place for life.
3. Stefansson, Vilhjalmur. Canadian Arctic Expedition unnumbered and unidentified [Tundra Coastal Photos]. Rauner Special Collections Library 1913-1923. Stefansson Collection [stem229_066-01-02-f]
Pictured above is the front of a postcard, possessed by Arctic explorer and advocate, Vilhjalmur Stefansson. Though unmarked and undated, it is presumed that the item was procured between 1913-1923 by Stefansson, who worked to subvert misperceptions about the Arctic peoples and environment. This promotional image depicts the splendor of the Arctic coast as a region of allure rather than danger.
4. Vilhjalmur Stefansson. Lecture: Speech at Town Hall, Melbourne. 14 June 1924, Rauner Library Special Collections, Dartmouth College. Stefansson Collection [Mss-98]
Shown above is a 1918 flyer promoting one of Stefansson’s lectures on the Canadian Arctic Expedition. With admission costing the (then) hefty price of $1, this was obviously a topic of public interest, and was just one of many speaking tours that he conducted across the country and the world. Through these talks, Stefansson hoped to embody his self-given title of Ambassador to the North by sharing the wonders of the Arctic with curious spectators and encouraging the world to look northward.