The Wendish Research Exchange - Thorndale, Texas - St Paul Lutheran Church - Altar Ascension Painting

St. Paul Lutheran Church
Altar Ascension Painting

The practice of erecting a structure above and behind the altar and adorning it with artworks extends back at least to the 11th century. Sculpture was the dominate element in the altarpieces of the late Middle Ages, especially in Germany. Altar paintings, by contrast, became common in northern Europe only in the 15th century. ~ Encyclopedia Britannica

To honor my great-grandfather, A. J. Urban, who along with his sons, designed and crafted our beautiful altar in their planing mill, a little research was done on the Ascension canvas insert.

It was painted by August Klagstad, the famous Norwegian-born Minneapolis artist. His signature, KLAGSTAD, can be clearly seen on the painting. His name in all capital letters distinguishes his work from his sons, who joined him in his studio during the 1920’s.

Born in 1886 in Norway, August moved to Wisconsin at an early age and was educated by his mother in the Lutheran religion, which greatly influenced his career. School buildings and churches were non-existent where they lived, so he learned to read and write in his native language, and his studies included Luther’s Catechism and Bible history. The first Lutheran church service in their town was held in the parlor of the Klagstad home. The Kladstads later moved to Minnesota.

A faithful Lutheran, August specialized in religious paintings. One of his 1921 oil paintings depicting “Abraham and Isaac as the Angel of the Lord Appears” (53” X 72”), sold for $12,356.00. His works are replicas of compositions by the masters with his own coloring and details. He and two of his sons, were able to create over 1000 altar paintings in his life. Many of his works live in churches throughout the United States, as well as Canada, Norway, Australia, and Africa.

In trying to speculate how this art work came to Thorndale, a January 1914 Presbyterian newsletter published this advertisement:

Klagstad.jpg - 65kB

August Klagstad died in May of 1949 at the age of 82, but his art lives on, here at St. Paul Lutheran, and in communities large and small. Of all the Ascension images researched, this one truly stands out as the most significant and realistic.

To God Be The Glory ~ Glenda Merz