Description:

HERMANN GORING'S "POLAR FALCON" BY RENZ WALLER
A superb relic from Reichsmarshall and Reichsjagermeister Hermann Goring, a superb oil painting titled: "Polarfalcon", a powerful 80 x100 cm. image of Hermann Goring's captive Arctic gyrfalcon perched atop a jagged rock, a leather strap attached to one leg. The painting is in fine condition, beautifully maintained, signed by the artist "Renz Waller" at lower-left and set in a period wood frame with silver trim, likely original to the artwork. Renz Waller (1895-1979) was a German painter of great talent whose works have won awards world-wide since the 1930s. Even more important is the fact that Waller is considered the greatest falconer of the last century, the first to breed peregrines, and Master of the Order from 1932 to 1957. As such, his talents were undoubtedly known to Goring, an avid falconer himself. Sometime prior to August, 1942 Waller painted "Polarfalcon", an image of a falcon owned by Goring which Waller must have admired greatly. The NSDAP cultural magazine "Berlin - Rom - Tokio" issue of August, 1942 published a fine color photo of Waller's oil with the caption: "Polarfalcon of the Reichsmarshall Painting by Renz Waller". Goring saw the magazine illustration, as on Oct. 13, 1942 on "Der Reichsjagermeister" letterhead [1p. 4to., Berlin], an aide contacted Waller in Dusseldorf. The letter [included in the lot] reads, in part: "...Herr Reichsmarshall saw the photograph of your painting of his falcon in the magazine...he ordered me to ask you if he could buy the original. Please let me know if and for what price Herr Reichsmarshall can acquire this painting...". Although no sales record exists, we find in inconceivable that Waller would have refused to sell or even gift the painting to his patron and benefactor, Goring. This fine work was no doubt displayed at Goring's country hunting retreat Carinhall, the scene of virtually all of Goring's hunting expeditions. The relationship between Waller and Goring went back for years. In 1937 Goring commissioned Waller to paint his portrait with his falcon in hand. This portrait was sold in 2005 after having gone missing for sixty years. The same year, Goring asked Waller to assemble a group of expert falconers to arrange a falcon hunting exhibition. In Waller's 1953 memoirs, "Polarfalcon" appears in Waller's possession in one of the illustrations -- no doubt Goring had sent it back to Waller for safekeeping, cleaning, or restoration. After the war, our consignor's father purchased the painting directly from Waller who advised him that the painting had been in Goring's possession. Sold with copies of all relevant newspaper and magazine articles, correspondence (including letter from Goring's aide), photo of Waller with the painting, letter of provenance, etc. A historic painting evocative of Germany's "Master of the Hunt".

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May 8, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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