Life and Artistic Journey
Winfried Tonner was a German painter, graphic artist, visual artist, and art educator. Born in Brno, Czech Republic, he moved with his parents to Regensburg in 1939. He completed his Abitur in Weiden in der Oberpfalz in 1958 and subsequently studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich under Anton Marxmüller and Josef Oberberger, where he earned his state examination in art education.
His professional career included teaching positions at the Stiftland-Gymnasium Tirschenreuth and the Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium in Regensburg. Throughout his life, he maintained a practice as a freelance artist. In 1997, he established the art prize for German-Czech understanding. Tonner passed away in Munich.
Artistic Legacy and Works
The body of work produced by Tonner is extensive, comprising approximately 100 paintings, 1500 graphics, and 600 watercolors. His pieces are held in various collections, including the Bavarian State Painting Collections in Munich, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, and the Regensburger Ostdeutsche Galerie, as well as in private collections.
One notable work is the tempera painting titled Großes Regensburger Familienbild, created between 1984 and 1985. This large-scale work depicts Johannes and Gloria von Thurn und Taxis along with their three children. The composition features a complex visual arrangement where the subjects are shown both together in a single scene and reflected in a mirror, showing the children playing and the parents observing.
His artistic achievements were recognized through several honors, including:
