NELSON, Marion John 1924-2000

BERGERSON, NELSON, NENTWICK, RUSTAD, HANSON

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 10/10/2010 at 16:16:50

Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2000

Marion John Nelson

Marion John Nelson, 76, professor emeritus of the history of art at the University of Minnesota and former director of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, died at his home in Minneapolis, Minn., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2000.

He had only recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

There will be a private interment and no public funeral service.

He was born May 1, 1924, in Fergus Falls, Minn., the son of Scandinavian immigrants Albert and Hilda (Bergerson) Nelson.

Dr. Nelson was an internationally recognized scholar of Scandinavian art, design and material culture, and the foremost expert on Norwegian-American decorative, folk and fine art.

He also possessed one of the nation's finest private collections of American studio and art pottery and modern Scandinavian glass.

His collecting activities and academic career were marked by an encyclopedic knowledge, an infectious enthusiasm and an acute aesthetic sensibility for the smallest details of material culture.

A remarkably productive thinker, he combined connoisseurship with penetrating insights into the broad cultural contexts of artistic production.

A warm and generous teacher, he was particularly encouraging of younger scholars, researchers and museum professionals - generously providing leads and information - and taking deep satisfaction in their successes.

His most lasting contribution is the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, which he directed for 27 years before his retirement in 1991.

During his leadership, the Vesterheim Museum grew from a random collection of immigrant artifacts into the most comprehensive museum in the United States devoted to the material Culture of a single ethnic group.

Dr. Nelson's broad vision gave this disparate collection a serious academic focus. He oversaw its systematic cataloging and conservation, organized its archives, directed the restoration and renovation of its buildings,
spearheaded acquisitions and fundraising, and worked to integrate its activities into the fabric of the local community and the Midwest region.

He also strengthened its educational mission and its ties to Norway.

The author of numerous scholarly articles, exhibition pamphlet, brochures and books, in 1995 Nelson organized the pivotal exhibition "Norwegian Folk Art: Migration of a Tradition," which opened at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City and traveled to several American cities before closing at the Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo.

Rita Ref, in the New York Times, described it as "the most comprehensive, assemblage of Norwegian folk art ever presented in an exhibition."

Nelson also, served as a consultant and contributor to many other publications.

He received his bachelor of arts degree in 1947, his master of arts in 1950 and Ph.D. in 1960, at the University of Minnesota, where he spent his entire academic career.

Initially, he held joint appointments in the departments of Scandinavian and art history. He was promoted to the rank of full professor in art history in 1971, where he also served two terms as departmental chair.

He was a member of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study and served on the board of the Norwegian-American Historical Association for many years.

Nelson also was extremely active in the local, state and regional arts community.

His pioneering doctoral dissertation, "The Fresco Brothers of Norway, Norwegian Mural Painting from 1918 to 1950: A Study in the Development of a Stylistic Tradition," underscored the close links between art and politics in the formation of the modern Norwegian nation.

He argued with great insight that "monumental painting answers a deeply rooted need in the psychology of modern Norwegians."

Among his numerous grants and honors, Nelson was awarded the Knight's Cross, First Class, in the Royal Order of St. Olav by King Olav V of
Norway (1978). He also held an Honorary Doctorate from St. Olaf College
(1992).

The Sons of Norway organization awarded him the Leif Ericson Citation for his lifelong work in preserving and advancing Norwegian heritage and
culture.

Active until the time of his death, Nelson contributed a catalogue essay and served as a consultant for the current exhibition at Ellis Island, "Norwegians in New York: 1825-2000," which celebrates the 175th anniversary of the mass immigration of Norwegians to the United States.

He also organized and wrote the catalogue for the exhibition "Paintings by Minnesotans of Norwegian Background 1870-1970," on view at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, Minn., through Oct. 16, 2000.

Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Lila Nentwick Nelson; two brothers, Milford of St. Paul, Minn., and Robert of Richfield, Minn.; and two sisters, Louise Rustad of St. Paul, Minn., and Ingvarda Hanson of Detroit, Mich.

This obituary was compiled and written by Clarence Burton Sheffield Jr., Ph.D. Visiting professor of art, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn. Photo by Paul E. Hansen.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.