Edward Cucuel

Following his education at the art academy in San Francisco, Edward Cucuel went to Paris in order to study French Impressionism. Afterwards, he returned to the USA for a short period of time, but traveled a lot, especially in Europe. He joined the artists association 'Die Scholle' in Munich, after getting to know Leo Putz. Amazed by his plein-air paintings, a deep friendship formed between them and they spent the summers at the Chiemgau together, painting the local lakes there from 1909 to 1914. Often, those paintings show young women at the shore or idyllic landscapes. Cucuel continued pursuing these subjects when he settled at Ammersee during World War One and Starnberger See in 1918. This particular painting is probably from that time. A young lady is lying on blankets in the shade next to a lake. Her upper body is bare, only a light, flowy fabric covers her hips, while her exposed legs are dressed in white tights. The heeled shoes complete her elegant form. Her arms are slightly tanned from the summer sun, one of which bashfully reaches towards her neck. Her head is faced towards the viewer in a playful manner, with flushed cheeks and the fashionable waves of her short hair. The blankets she lies on are of similar colors as her clothes, maybe even parts of the same, the pastel colors stand in sharp contrast to the dark soil beneath. In the background, lush green vegetation and the tree, whose branches are hanging low above the depicted woman, are used as a framing device. The leaves of the tree allow us a glimpse of the sunlit waves of the lake. In quick, broad strokes, Cucuel applies the strong colors onto the canvas. Following the idea of Impressionism, the artist is interested in capturing the lighting, the reflections of the sunlight, and the play of colors in the moment. The artist allows the viewer to sink into this dreamlike painting, which emanates a soft, yet powerful atmosphere.