In addition to Walde’s convincing interpretations of landscapes, he is also well known for his artistic contribution in the area of winter sports. His work during the early 1920s focused heavily on this subject. Walde was an important contributor to the rapid development of organized winter sports in his native Tyrol, which was an ever present factor from at least the mid-1920s onward. The artist himself encountered such sports from his earliest years, so it is not surprising that we find this subject in his paintings. His pre-WWI work includes oil paintings dating from 1912, in which Walde depicts lively winter scenes that function as veritable snapshots of various wintry moments. These small, oil on cardboard paintings include Der Schikurs (The Skiing Class), Der Zieleinlauf (The Finish Line) and Das Gasslrennen (The Street Race). Despite being early works, they were to remain virtually unsurpassed in terms of originality. The sports motifs that Walde painted after WWI carry the “emotional heaviness” that is so characteristic of his work in general during this period. Not until the mid 1920s, most likely in reaction to the buzz and excitement of the rapidly emerging local winter sports scene, did he return to his roots, once again finding the rhythmic style and vibrant colors that are so evident in his earlier work. Having “rediscovered” the brilliance of color, Walde soon created several excellent examples of what may be most accurately described as unique “painted situations,” the works Grubschanze, 1925, and Mondäne Wintergäste (Fashionable Winter Guests).

				Ascent “Aufstieg der Schifahrer”, about 1927 Oil on Cardboard  Kitzbühel, Museum Kitzbühel
				Winter Dreams  “Winterträume” Pencil on Paper,  9,45 x 11,81 in (24 x 30 cm)
				Ascent “Aufstieg”, 1930 Tempera on Cardboard, 37.01 x 25.98 in (94 x 66 cm) Auktionshaus Hassfurther
				Ascent “Aufstieg”, 1930 Oil on Cardboard (Postcard), 18,50 x 20,47 in (47 x 52 cm) Auktionshaus Hassfurther
				Skier on the Farm “Schifahrer bei der Alm”, 1935  Oil on Cardboard, 18,50 x 18,5 in (47 x 47 cm) Auktionshaus Hassfurther
				Skier on the on the snowed in Farm “Schifahrer und verschneite Alm”, about 1935  Oil on Cardboard, 18,50 x 22,98 in (47 x 57,4 cm) Kunsthandel Moskat
				Skier on the on the snowed in Farm “Schifahrer und verschneite Alm”, about 1928  Oil on Cardboard, 16,88 x 23,42 in (42,9 x 59,5 cm) privately owned
				(Top of the) Peak “Gipfelrast am Pengelstein”, 1928 Oil on Canvas, 30,71 x 39,37 in (78 x 100 cm) Kitzbühel, Museum Kitzbühel
				The Turn “Kristiania”, about 1925 Tempera on Cardboard, 10,43 x 8,94 in (26,5 x 22,7 cm) privately owned
				The Turn “Der Schwung”, about 1924 Aquarell / Tempera on paper, 10´43 x 14´17 (26,5 x 36 cm) Privatbesitz
				Training Slope “Übungshang”, about 1925 Tempera on Cardboard, 22,76 x 17,13 in (57,8 x 43,5 cm) privately owned
				Woman putting on her skies “Dame beim Schianschnallen”, about 1927 Oil on Cardboard, diameter 10.24 in (26 cm) ehem. Kunsthandlung Kovacek, Wien
				Two skiers “Zwei Schifahrerinnen” about 1925 Tempera auf Karton, 13´8 x 13´8 in (34 x 34 cm) Museum Kitzbühel
				Fashionable Winterguest  “Wintergast” (Hilde Walde), about 1925/26 Tempera on Cardboard, 13,98 x 8,86 in (35,5 x 22,5 cm) Kitzbühel, Museum Kitzbühel
				Mount Twothousand  “Zweitausender” about 1935 Oil/Tempera on Cardboard, 11´3 x 10´04 in (30,3 x 25,5 cm) privately owned
				Wintersun “Wintersonne”, 1919 Oil on Cardboard, 10,43 x 7,28 in (26,5 x 18,5 cm) privately owned
				On the Way to ski “Zum Schilauf”,     about 1923 Tempera, 9´66 x 9´44 in (24,5 x 24 cm) Privatbesitz
				Grubschanze in Kitzbühel “Grubschanze bei Kitzbühel”, 1925 Tempera on Cardboard, 22,24 x 17,72 in (56,5 x 45 cm) privately owned
				Grubschanze in Kitzbühel “Grubschanze bei Kitzbühel”, 1925 Tempera on Cardboard, 22,24 x 17,72 in (56,5 x 45 cm) Kitzbühel, Museum Kitzbühel
				The swallow “Die Schwalbe”, about 1924 Oil on Tempera, 70,87 x 39,76 in (180 x 101 cm) Kunsthandel Wienerroither & Kohlbacher, Wien