Werner William Rentsch

Werner Rentsch

Werner Rentsch, an accomplished artist, began his career in commercial advertising before dedicating himself fully to painting. His early oil paintings captured the quiet beauty of rural life in upstate New York, inspired by the years he and his wife Gail spent on their farm in Jefferson. There, he nurtured his lifelong love of animals—especially horses—which became both his passion and his artistic focus.

Werner’s deep connection with horses, sparked by a generous palomino named Allegro, led him to specialize in equestrian art. His work celebrated great horses and scenes from the worlds of racing, show jumping, foxhunting, and polo. He also illustrated The Whole Horse Catalog, which became a back-list bestseller for its publisher, Simon & Schuster. Over his career, Werner’s paintings were featured in nine solo exhibitions, twelve museum shows, and more than forty juried or group exhibitions across the United States. A lifetime member of the American Academy of Equine Art, he served as its president from 1994 through 2008. His early paintings of rural New York are in the collection of the Jefferson Historical Society in Jefferson NY.

In later years, Werner often visited his son, Denny, a conservationist who worked in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The landscapes and wildlife of Africa inspired a major new chapter in his art. Werner became a Signature Member of Artists for Conservation, and several of his wildlife paintings were selected for the organization’s 2012 and 2013 exhibitions.

Werner was born in 1938 in Flushing New York to Werner and Irmgard Rentsch. He grew up in Queens, and studied painting at the School of Visual Art, the Pratt Institute and the Art Students League in Manhattan. After he and Gail were married, they moved to the Upper West Side of Manhattan and divided their time between the city and their farm in Jefferson, New York. He passed away peacefully on November 7th, 2025 in New York City, after a short and brave struggle with Alzheimer’s and ALS. His passing was peaceful and surrounded by love.

Above all, Werner was gentle, funny and kind. His compassion for animals mirrored the warmth he showed to family and friends. He loved spending time outdoors and with his two young granddaughters Mara and Leyna, who were enamored with his humor and artistic talent.

Werner will be remembered for his good will toward all he met, his generous spirit, and his lifelong devotion to art and the people and animals he loved.