Willy Moralt received his first drawing lessons from his father, a landscape painter and pupil of Carl Spitzweg and Christian Morgenstern. At the age of 15 the young Moralt already created landscape studies whilst traveling through Germany. From 1903 onwards he attended the Munich Academy of Fine Arts and studied under Professor Karl Raupp. Already in his second year his landscapes, which were exhibited at the Glaspalast in Munich, were awarded a medal of honor.

After graduating, Moralt undertook extended trips to England, Holland, Italy and Switzerland. The sketches from this period served as templates for the works he later painted in his studio. The artist was primarily inspired by the work of his great-uncle Spitzweg. Moralt began preparing his own paints according to his own recipe, which gave his paintings an unusual luminosity. He worked mainly in Munich, but also repeatedly traveled to the foothills of the Alps, where he eventually settled in 1943.

Moralt's early creative phase was characterized by works in subdued colors. From 1914 onwards he created numerous romantic genre scenes, which are highly sought after. His impressionist style landscapes from the 1930s continue to appeal to collectors and critics.