An Iowa College in the Liberal Arts Tradition
Herbjørn Gausta
Early Years
Gausta, Hjerborn (1854-1924)
Hjerborn (H.) Gausta was a Norwegian-American painter. He was born in Vestfjorddalen, Telemark, Norway on June 16, 1854. He and his family emigrated from Norway and settled in Harmony, Minnesota in 1867.
At Luther
From 1872 to 1875, Gausta attended Luther College. After graduating from Luther, he spent several years studying art throughout Europe, spending much of his time in his homeland of Norway. After traveling in the Midwest for a few more years, Gausta returned to Luther to teach art during the 1886-87 school year.
After Luther
After another year wandering in Europe, Gausta returned to Minneapolis, Minnesota where he taught at the University of Minnesota until his death on May 22, 1924.
Other Information
Gausta painted several portraits of people important to Luther College's early history. He also painted several altarpieces and landscapes. There are at least fifty paintings by Gausta in the Luther College Fine Arts Collection.
Some sources spell Gausta's first name as Herbjørn.
Resources in the Luther College Archives
- Hjerborn Gausta -- collected materials
- Luther College 1861-1961 by David T. Nelson
Works Referenced
- Herbjørn Gausta in the Luther College Fine Arts Collection
- Nelson, David T., Luther College 1861-1961, Luther College Press, Decorah: 1961.
- Papers of Hjerborn Gausta