Arne Berger

1872-1951

Fine Arts Collection Berger works: 1

Biography

Arne Berger was born in Fagernes, Valdres, Norway, August 7, 1872. He received his first instruction in drawing in Norway. He was living in Minneapolis by the early 1890s and was listed as an artist with the J.E. Burt Portrait Company in 1893. The following year he moved to Northfield, MN, where he worked until 1903 and began his altar painting business. He also painted portraits for prominent members of the community. He moved to Decorah in late 1903 where he continued his altar paintings and portrait work. In 1907 he moved to Portland, OR, where he painted landscapes, portraits and altar paintings. He finally moved to Minneapolis in 1918 and set up a studio. There he distributed his Catalogue and Price List showing the work he was willing to undertake for clients. He also advertised his willingness to do restoration work and art instruction. Berger continued to paint altar pieces into the 1920s and 1930s. His last known work was a copy of Hofmann’s Jesus in Gethsemane painted for Grace Lutheran Church in Fairmont, MN, in 1934. He died in Minneapolis, July 28, 1951, ostensibly of a heat stroke.

Arne Berger participated in the Norse-American Centennial Art Exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair in Minneapolis, MN, in 1925. Several of his paintings are also in museum collections in Norway.

Berger was married to Henrietta Berg, daughter of the school teacher Ole.H. Berg, from the Decorah area. They were the parents of three children, Agnes, Louise and Kermit.

Arne Berger "Martin Luther" Oil, n.d. LFAC #275

Conservation of the portait, Martin Luther (Fine Arts Colletion #275), was completed by the Upper Midwest Conservation Association, Minneapolis, MN, in 2004. Funding for the conservation was partly provided by the Lilly Endowment "A Sense of Vocation" program at Luther College.

The five oil paintings by Arne Berger in the Fine Arts Collection are all portraits of individuals. Although one is unidentified, the remainder are of Christian Keyser Preus, former Luther College faculty member and President (1852-1921); Martha Neprud, Norwegian-American homemaker who settled in Westby, WI (1830-1916); Lars Paulsen Thorkveen, Norwegian-American pastor, Luther College alumnus, teacher and author (1857-1923); and, Martin Luther, German church reformer and scholar (1483-1546). These have been entered into the Catalogue of American Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. the Inventory of American Paintings maintained at the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Ref: Berger, A. Catalogue from A. Berger, Artist. Decorah, IA: [Eureka Portrait Co.], 1903; Berger, Arne. Catalogue and Price List of Altar Paintings, Landscapes, Oil Paintings from Life and from Photographs. Minneapolis, MN: A. Berger, ca. 1920; Hansen, Carl G. My Minneapolis: a Chronicle of What has been Learned and Observed about the Norwegians in Minneapolis through One Hundred Years. Minnapolis, MN: Standard Press, 1956. Anderson, Kristin M. Norwegian-American Altar Painting, 1880-1920. M.A. Thesis, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1987; Obituary, Minneapolis Posten, August 10, 1951; 40th wedding anniversary, Decorah Posten, April 24, 1947.

Updated 09/04/2006