Luther’s Hymn: ‘Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott’
Born in Wrocław, Poland, the son of a merchant, Walther or Walter Firle worked briefly in his father’s company, before enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich in 1879. In 1882, he was required to abandon his studies for financial reasons and he then travelled to Italy and Holland, before settling in Munich. He is renowned for his genre pictures, religious compositions and portraits. One of his most notable works is the portrait of King Ludwig III used on Bavarian stamps. He died in Munich, where much of his work remains in public collections.
