Paintings
Paintings have turned up by a German artist named Werner Heckenbach who was born in Brohl am Rhein, Germany, on April 21 1911, and lived in Wiesbaden after World War 2. He sold his work to GI's and other Americans living there in the 1940s.
Back in 2001 two people Bonnie and Trisha contacted me separately, asking if I knew anything about the paintings they owned. We had some discussions about the signature, as we attempted to make out the letters. What looked like a GW turned out to be Werner's distinctive way of making his W initial. I posted the pictures here and one of Werner's family members contacted me and revealed some information about him.
We now a growing collection of images of Werner Heckenbach's work. This website is becoming his online gallery.
Here is the first painting that we found out about. It measures 18" X 20" and belongs to Bonnie in South Carolina. It's followed by a close-up of the signature:
The second painting, Trisha's, is shown below. In spite of the
seemingly different style, it was also done by Werner. We know
this much about it: It's dated 1948 and the painter Werner
Heckenbach told the soldier who bought it that it was of a Jewish
or Gypsy Princess who was a friend and a spy during WW1. This
painting is in a home in Atlanta GA.
NEW -- (March 2003) A third painting by Werner has turned up. The new owner Kenneth purchased it recently at a small antiques show at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Dayton, Ohio. This Werner measures 14" X 18". Kenneth does not know its history. He also sent a closeup of the signature.
NEW -- (Aug 2004) Ted in Missouri
emailed me and offered to send the following three new paintings
by Werner. His parents were stationed in Germany after the
war and they were close friends of Werner. Ted in his youth
often heard his parents talk about Werner. He also sent pictures
of Werner for which I am most grateful, see below. Thanks to Ted
we have a clearer idea of Werner's talent. I will refer to these
paintings as #4, #5, and #6, the order of discovery by me, since
Werner didn't always date his work.
This picture is called "Salome." It was entered
in an exhibition in Italy and Ted thinks it won Werner some
recognition. Werner gave it to Ted's parents.
Two other paintings owned by Ted. His parents commissioned them
from Werner.
Ted also kindly supplied this picture of Werner with his wife and
son. Now we have a face to go with the paintings.
We asked for help identifying the medals that Werner is wearing. The answer is on the next page.
NEW JULY 2006
Ross, the owner of an antique store in California, emailed me that another Werner showed up in his store. He sent this image of the 33" X 23" painting. Ross doesn't know the history of the painting. Some people have said they think it's the very best and most beautiful Werner that they have seen to date. Ross also sent a closeup of Werner's signature and it closely matches the others. This is painting #7.
NEW MARCH 2007
The next set of paintings is on display on a new webpage, and will keep posting new pictures as they come in.
These pictures prove what his relative said, that Werner could copy any style of painting and produce whatever his customers wanted, even from magazine pictures or postcards. That accounts for the seeming difference in style. We're hoping that if any other Werners come to light, their owners would be kind enough to submit them here.
It turns out that Werner came from the Heckenbachs of Brohl. He was born in Niederbreisig on Apr 21, 1911, a descendent of Christian Heckenbach, born in 1810, who was my great-great-grandfather. The line goes like this:
Christian Heckenbach 1810
|
Michael Heckenbach 1846
|
Josef Heckenbach 1884
|
Peter Werner Heckenbach 1911
This page was created January 21, 2002, and last updated November 29, 2009
Copyright 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 by Jim Heckenbach