Jacob Fjelde

Jacob Fjelde was a Norwegianborn, American sculptor. He is remembered as both a prolific portraitist and the creator of public monuments. One of his better known works is the one dedicated to the 1st Minnesota Infantry located at Gettysburg Battlefield where its 262 members suffered 215 casualties.

Jakob Henrik Gerhard Fjelde was born at lesund in Mre og Romsdal, Norway. His father, Paul Gerhard Michelet Fjelde , was a skilled carpenter and wood carver. He had moved to the United States in 1872, but died the following year. Jakob Fjelde was a pupil of Brynjulf Bergslien during 1878. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1879 to 1881 and was a student of Vilhelm Bissen 18801882. He travel abroad, living in Rome from 1882 to 1884. Fjelde lived and worked to Bergen, Norway from 1884 until 1887 when he immigrated to the United States. After arriving in America he settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The following year he married the Danishborn Margrethe Madsen. They eventually had four children. He was the father of sculptor Paul Fjelde and the brother of artist Pauline Fjelde. His grandsons included Ibsen scholar Rolf G. Fjelde.

Source: Wikipedia