The Rev. Steven Olson of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Dassel approached the museum back in 2007, looking for advice on how to preserve the painting of Jesus surrounded by the afflicted and the oppressed. Posted on 04/01/2009 9:44:54 AM PDT by Sopater
An important 19th century painting that languished in a church janitor's closet has a new home at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
The Rev. Steven Olson of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Dassel approached the museum back in 2007, looking for advice on how to preserve the painting of Jesus surrounded by the afflicted and the oppressed.
It turns out the painting "Christus Consolator," was by the Dutch-born, French-trained artist Ary Scheffer, one of the pre-eminent Romantic painters in Paris of the first half of the 19th century.
"Our own version of 'Antiques Roadshow,'" said museum director Kaywin Feldman.
MIA painting curator Patrick Noon called it an "extremely important historical and aesthetic object."
Scheffer's 1851 work was iconic in its day, and reproductions enjoyed wide circulation in Europe and America. But it went unrecognized for 70 years in Dassel, a town of just 1,300 people 50 miles west of Minneapolis, until Olson came across it in a janitor's closet, underneath a pile of art reproductions.
"My first reaction was stunned disbelief," Olson said.
(Excerpt) Read more at thechurchreport.com ...
Amazing! I would have thought it was a painting of Ole and Sven by Lena.
What a beautiful painting! I am glad it will be on display!
Ole and Sven went fishing.
Sven would cast and pull in fish but Ole was not doing well.
Ole went to Sven and said "Sven how come you pull in the fish and I don't
Sven said, "First you cut a hole in the ice! Then you cast!"
This will give this Swedes and Norwegians to discuss over their plates of hot dish and molded jello salad.....accompanied by a hot cup of Folgers coffee
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