Museum and Fine Arts Collections

The Luther Seminary Archives program includes responsibility for a 3,800 item museum collection called the Mission Heritage Collection. These artifacts represent missionary gifts from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Madagascar, South Africa and Tanzania. The collection also includes early 20^th century Inuit materials from Alaska. 

At any given time approximately 20 percent of the collection is on view in cases around the Luther Seminary campus. The artifact collections are supported by large photographic holdings in the ELCA Region 3 Archives global mission files.

Along side the Mission Heritage Collection is Luther Seminary’s permanent collection of fine art pieces. At present, more than paintings, sculptures, textile items and photographs constitute this growing collection, including the approximately 250 piece Prodigal Son Collection, gifted by Jerry Evenrud. 

Pieces from the permanent collection rotate on a regular basis through public areas on campus. Archivist and curator Paul Daniels and the seminary Fine Arts Committee have responsibility for this collection.

Click to enlarge.

Crucifixion Sadao Watanabe Japanese artist born in 1913, died in 1996 Stencil Print, 1975         50/70      Dimensions:  18 by 20 inches Watanabe has done much to proclaim the biblical faith not only in his own country, but throughout the world.  Through his powerful contemporary work, he has incorporated vibrancy in color, simple form and shape which demands our attention. When you look at this print, the cross form is dominant with its Tau formation.  The body of Christ is prominent and the suffering is real.  The three women at the foot of the cross, and the other two figures to the left are the community of people who have gathered there to be with Christ.  The figure on the ladder to the right appears to be removing one of the nails in the hand.  This unique stencil print portrays the suffering of Jesus in a compelling manner. Go Back   Next Image