Gausta’s Paining of the Upper Iowa River from the Luther Fine Arts Collection

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Born on June 16, 1854 on the Gausta farm in Vestfjørddalen, Telemark, Norway, Herbjørn Nilsen Gausta immigrated with his family to America at age twelve. He settled with his parents and four sisters on a farm hear Harmony, Minnesota. Gausta entered a training program for parochial school teachers at Luther College in 1872, but left for Norway three years later on a stipend provided by the Decorah community under the leadership of U.V. Koren. Throughout the late 1800s, Gausta traveled between Norway and the Upper Midwest, painting portraits of prominent Norwegian-American individuals, religious works, and genre scenes depicting life in the two regions.

Dr. Kate Elliot, our presenter-