I am looking for information on an artist named E.v. Tarnoczy.  I have
a gouache (opaque watercolor) painting signed by this artist and dated
1931.  The picture measures 10-1/2 x 12-7/8" possibly plus a small
amount obscured by the mat.  It is a winter landscape showing the
Matterhorn Mountain (Switzerland) in the background against a very
blue sky, three evergreen trees in the middle ground, and a single
evergreen on a snowy hill in the foreground.  A note on the back of
the frame says that the picture was purchased in Munich in 1931.  Most
important, I would like to know the artist's nationality and life
dates. Second most important is information that would enable me to
place a value on this work, based on any auction records that may be
available. Third, if you come across without too much digging, I would
appreciate any critical commentary or list of exhibitions in which
this artist's work was shown.  Thank you very much!

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 22 Nov 2002 13:06 PST

Dear blisssu,

I am quite sure that I have found out about the identity of the
artist; however, I will have to check printed sources to make sure
about the details. I will post an answer at the beginning of next
week. Please be patient. In the maintime, could you please verify
whether the first inital of the signature is doubtless an "E" or if it
might also be a "B" - this is very important for my further research.

Best regards,
Scriptor

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Clarification of Question by blisssu-ga on 22 Nov 2002 21:00 PST

Dear Scriptor-ga, Thank you for your research on this artist. 
Unfortunately, I took the picture to my shop and don't have it to look
at now.  I will look at it again tomorrow to see whether the E could
be a B.  I do remember that the lettering was very clear, so I doubt
that I had any question about it being an E, but I will check.  Also,
I have shown the picture to a Polish person.  I think it likely that
the artist is (was?) Polish, though I'm not sure.  The person
immediately identified the mountain as one in Poland, not the
Matterhorn as I had said.  He is going to tell me the English name of
this mountain, but perhaps not till Monday.  I'll send any further
information as soon as I can.  Thank you.

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Clarification of Question by blisssu-ga on 24 Nov 2002 08:39 PST

Dear Scriptor-ga:
I have rechecked the painting and can now report that the artist's
initial is E. without a doubt.  Also, there is a diacritical mark over
the o or possibly over the n in Tarnoczy (again, I can't remember and
the painting is not in front of me--I'll let you know for sure later).
 Thank you for your help.
Blisssu

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 24 Nov 2002 09:14 PST

Dear blisssu,

Since the first name initial is without any doubt an "E", I now know
for sure the artist's identity. I will try to find out as much as
possible on Monday.

Greetings,
Oliver

Dear blisssu,

I did extensive research using printed sources in the library.
However, there is not much information about the artist who created
the picture you own. But I will give you what I was able to find.

The signature "E. v. Tarnoczy" refers without any doubt to Eugen
August von Tarnóczy, a German painter. Tarnóczy was born 17 April 1886
in Munich, Bavaria, so he was of German nationality. What art school
he attended, if any, is not mentioned anywhere. But it is well
possible that he did not receive a formal art education at all, since
his original profession was that of a soldier: Tarnóczy was officer in
the Kaiser-Franz-Garderegiment (Emperor Francis Guards Regiment) since
1902, and from 1910, he was a military pilot. His army career ended
with the defeat of Germany in 1918.
He took residence in the Bavarian town of Traunstein, not far away
from Munich, and began working as an artist. He was best known for his
landscapes and portraits. Among his numerous oil paintings, there were
"Aufziehendes Gewitter am Chiemsee" (= Thunderstorm coming near Lake
Chiemsee), "Wintersonne in den Chiemgauer Alpen" (= Winter Sun in the
Chiemgau Alpes), and "Flug der D-ANOY über das Pamirgebirge 1937" (=
Flight of the Aeroplane D-ANOY over the Pamir Mountains 1937), a
triptychon created for the Lufthansa airline in 1938.
His numerous tempera paintings were very appreciated, many of them
were bought by the Reich Ministry of Aviation after 1935. Also, the
officers' mess of the Hermann Göring Elite Regiment was decorated with
his works, among them "Deutsche Alpenstraße" (= German Trans-Alpes
Road). This shows that Tarnóczy's style of painting and his motifs
pleased the National Socialist government.
Eugen von Tarnóczy died in Traunstein on 19 May 1965.

His paintings appear to show up in auctions and art galleries
extremely rarely. The only reference I was able to find is this
website:

Buddrick.de
http://www.buddrick.de/angebot.htm

Here, paintings by Tarnóczy were offered for DM 800.00 (approximately
$400.00) each. The source looks not very reliable, but is the only
place selling Tarnóczy's paintings I found. Also, his works seem not
to be presented in exihibitions.

This is, alas, all I could find out about the biography and work of
Eugen von Tarnóczy. Even the extensive multi-volume art encyclopedias
mention him only briefly, if at all.

Sources:

Lexikon der bildenden Künste, Vol. 33, by Ulrich Thieme & Felix
Becker. Published by E.A. Seemann Verlag, Leipzig 1920.

Künstlerlexikon des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts, Vol. 4, by Hans Vollmer.
Published by VEB E.A. Seemann Verlag, Leipzig 1958.

Hope this helps!
Regards,
Scriptor

Dear scriptor-ga, thank you for your thorough work and the reference
you provided.  I agree that Eugen August von Tarnoczy is very likely
the artist of my painting.  I am not pleased to learn that he was
favored by the Nazis, but given the idealized northern European
landscape in this picture, it seems likely that he would have been.
Even after a lengthy search on Google, we were unable to find this
artist, although we did come across Bertha von Tarnoczy, who I assume
is the person you had in mind when you asked if the first initial
could be a B.  Thank you again for your thorough research. ---blisssu