Presidential sculptures undergo restoration

From 1888 to 1890, Jacob Fjelde, a Norwegian portraitist and creator of public monuments, sculpted busts of Augsburg College Presidents Sven Oftedal and Georg Sverdrup. For many years, the sculptures were housed in the College’s original Main building and Old Main before being relocated to the Marshall Room in Christensen Center. As time passed, the sculptures had become dirty, scratched, and damaged. In fact, the bust of Sven Oftedal had even fallen off its pedestal, which resulted in a broken nose.

In 2014, the sculptures were properly restored for the first time in 125 years. They are now on display in all their glory in Lindell Library. All of this work has been supported by the Nydahl Family fund, which was created in 2006 to celebrate the history of Augsburg and the Lutheran Free Church on campus.