Edward Cucuel (San Francisco 1875-1951 Pasadena) Am Strand - At the beach, around 1930, signed Cucuel, again signed on the reverse Cucuel and on the stretcher titled and signed, oil on canvas, 65 x 80 cm, framed We are grateful to Bernd Dürr, Munich, for confirming the authenticity of this work. Provenance: Galerie Commeter, Hamburg (remains of an old label on the stretcher) Private collection, Germany After traveling widely across Europe, Cucuel lived and worked in and around Munich from 1907 onwards. During this time, he developed his signature style inspired by French Impressionism. His favorite artistic subjects were portraits of women, social scenes and the Bavarian landscape. Later, Cucuel moved to Starnberg, near Munich, where his famous Kahnbilder were painted. A variation of paintings showing sophisticated young women at lakeshores, on landing stages or in boats. The painting Am Strand being typical for this series of his oeuvre. The impressionist influenced style and impasto application of paint convey the peaceful atmosphere of a bright summer day at the lakes. In this painting, the emphasis is not on the characteristics of the depicted young woman. More relevant is how the setting offers a possibility to display varying textures and colors. The brushstrokes of the bush and lawn are set at contrasting angles conveying a certain vivacity which, however, is counterbalanced by the calm surface of the lake and the casual grace of the young woman. Fritz von Ostini, one of Cucuel’s contemporaries, once wrote about the artist, “for him, the depiction of a pretty and lightly dressed woman, […], was just an opportunity for allowing the play of light and color to achieve its fullest effect.” (Fritz von Ostini: Der Maler Edward Cucuel, Zurich/Vienna/Leipzig, 1924, p. 39ff)