On the castle pond

Description of the artwork

Although a native of San Francisco, Edward Alfred Cucuel painted in a European style inspired by his years of study at art academies in France and Germany. Cucuel is known for his Impressionist paintings of female figures and outdoor leisure scenes.
It was in Berlin that Cucuel met his future wife, the painter Clara Lotte von Marcard. Moving to Munich in 1907, he became close to the “Scholle” group of artists led by Leo Putz. This group espoused a profound individualism, urging everyone to cultivate their own ideals.

Leo Putz was to have a decisive influence on Cucuel's art: by introducing him to plein-air painting, he helped his painting evolve towards Impressionism, the genre in which Cucuel would make his name. The two painters worked together for five summers, from 1909 to 1914, at Hartmannsberg Castle on Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria.

Our painting dates from this period. It shows the painters' two companions: Clara Lotte von Marcard and Frieda Blell. In a pleasantly fresh impressionist style, Cucuel captures a moment of relaxation aboard a boat in which the two friends are seated. Their pretty toilets and rosy cheeks invite us to enjoy the moment. Cucuel skilfully plays with the natural surroundings to highlight the silhouettes of the two women, skilfully placing the reflections of light on the peaceful surface of the pond.

Origin

Hermann Oestrich Collection from1909 to 1973
Private collection, France

Literature

Fritz von Ostini, Der Maler Edward Cucuel, Zurich - Vienna - Leipzig, Amalthea, 1924
Reproduced on plate 7 under the title Auf dem Schlossteich (On the castle pond)