Painted by Arne Berger, Martha Neprud (1830 1916) was a Norwegian American homemaker who settled in Westby, Wisconsin. Arne Berger was born in Fagernes, Valdres, Norway. He received his first instruction in drawing in Norway. He was living in Minneapolis by the early 1890s and was listed as an artist with the J.E. Burt Portrait Company in 1893. The following year he moved to Northfield, Minnesota, where he worked until 1903 and began his altar painting business. He also painted portraits for prominent members of the community. He moved to Decorah, Iowa in late 1903 where he continued his altar paintings and portrait work. In 1907 he moved to Portland, Oregon where he painted landscapes, portraits and altar paintings. He finally moved to Minneapolis in 1918 and set up a studio. Berger continued to paint altar pieces into the 1920s and 1930s.
Courtesy of Luther College
