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.

Washing the Feet of the Disciples Sadao Watanabe Japanese Artist born in 1913, died in 1996 Lino Cut Print  1972 – multiples made of this print but it is stamped by the artist Dimensions:  7 inches by 8 inches This simple portrayal of what happened the final week of Jesus’ life reminds us of how we are called to serve one another.  No one planned for the basic hospitality needed for that evening – washing the feet was as basic as having a bowl of water to wash one’s hands.  So Jesus took the initiative and the towel and let them see and experience what was needed for being a servant.  His demonstration speaks to us today in our struggle for finding out what it means to serve one another and to serve Christ our Lord.  Text is found in John l3:1-20. Go Back   Next Image