Summer evening (1916)

Edward Cucuel prints bring the long summer days of Bavaria's lakes into your home. Born in San Francisco and trained in Paris, Cucuel spent most of his career in Germany, painting young women resting in gardens, drifting in rowing boats and reading under the trees, all in loose, light-filled brushwork. Our collection gathers his lake views, garden scenes and seasonal landscapes as fine art prints.

About Edward Cucuel

Edward Cucuel was born in San Francisco on 6 August 1875. By the age of 14 he was studying at the San Francisco Art Institute and drawing illustrations for The Examiner newspaper. At 17 he went to Paris, where he studied at the Académie Julian and the Académie Colarossi before finishing at the École des Beaux-Arts under the painter Jean-Léon Gérôme.

For the next decade he worked mostly as an illustrator. In 1899 he settled in Germany, drawing for newspapers in Berlin and Leipzig. In 1904 he reported on the St. Louis World's Fair and then travelled widely, including to Japan, China and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

In 1907 Cucuel moved to Munich and joined the artists' group Die Scholle. There he met the painter Leo Putz, who became a close friend and introduced him to painting outdoors. The two spent summers working together at Schloss Hartmannsberg on the Chiemsee, where Cucuel met the painter Clara Lotte von Marcard, whom he married in 1913. He was a member of the Munich Secession, and in 1915 he won a silver medal in San Francisco.

During the First World War he painted at Holzhausen on the Ammersee, then set up studios in Munich and in Starnberg, his father's hometown. From 1928 he spent winters in New York and summers in Starnberg. When the Second World War began in 1939 he left Germany for good and settled in Pasadena, California, where he died on 18 April 1954.

Style and Subjects

Cucuel painted in an Impressionist manner, and his favourite subject was young women enjoying the outdoors: rowing across a lake, sitting on a jetty, dozing in the grass or chatting under a parasol. Look for sunlight falling through leaves, reflections on water and white summer dresses. His figures seem unaware of being watched, which gives the scenes a relaxed, private feel.

Lake Starnberg, the Ammersee and the Chiemsee near Munich appear again and again, along with the garden of his own villa at Starnberg. He also painted quieter landscapes without figures, such as snowy winter days and autumn afternoons.

Famous Works

• Two Ladies in a Boat (c. 1910), private collection. Two women drift on calm water in the kind of boat picture that became his signature.
• After the Siesta (c. 1910), private collection. A woman stirs from an afternoon rest in warm, filtered summer light.
• Beautiful Autumn Afternoon (c. 1915), private collection. Golden autumn colour and soft sunshine replace the greens of his summer scenes.
• Summer Evening (1916), private collection. Late light settles over a peaceful lakeside moment.
• Summer Afternoon at the Lake (c. 1920), private collection. A bright, breezy view of leisure by the water on a Bavarian lake.
• On the Shore (c. 1920), private collection. A figure rests at the water's edge, with sunlight broken into patches of colour.
• Summer in the Garden of the Artist's Villa on Lake Starnberg (1920), private collection. Cucuel paints his own garden at Starnberg in full summer bloom.

Decorating with Cucuel Prints

Cucuel's lake and boat scenes, with their blues, soft greens and white dresses, suit bright living rooms, sunrooms and coastal or lakeside homes. A pair such as Two Ladies in a Boat and Summer Afternoon at the Lake works well above a sofa or along a hallway.

His garden and resting scenes, like After the Siesta and Summer in the Garden of the Artist's Villa on Lake Starnberg, bring a calm, unhurried mood to bedrooms and reading corners. For warmer interiors with wood tones, his autumn and winter landscapes, such as Beautiful Autumn Afternoon and Beautiful Winter Day, add seasonal colour without the figures.

FAQ

What art movement was Edward Cucuel part of?

Cucuel painted in an Impressionist style and worked outdoors in natural light. In Munich he belonged to the artists' group Die Scholle and was a member of the Munich Secession.

What is Edward Cucuel's most famous subject?

He is best known for summer scenes of young women by the lakes near Munich, especially women in rowing boats on Lake Starnberg and the Chiemsee. Paintings like Two Ladies in a Boat show this theme well.

Where can I see Edward Cucuel's original paintings?

Museums that hold his work include the Art Institute of Chicago, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, the National Academy in New York and the Toledo Museum of Art. Many of his best-known lake scenes are in private collections, so it is worth checking with a museum before visiting.

What makes Edward Cucuel's style recognizable?

Look for dappled sunlight, glittering water and women in pale summer dresses relaxing outdoors. His loose brushwork and fresh colours keep the mood easy and sunny.

Was Edward Cucuel American or German?

He was born in San Francisco and died in Pasadena, California, but he spent most of his working life in Germany. He lived there from 1899 until 1939.

Related Artists

• Leo Putz: close friend from Die Scholle who introduced Cucuel to painting outdoors.
• Jean-Léon Gérôme: Cucuel's teacher at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
• Frieda Blell: painter and wife of Leo Putz, part of Cucuel's circle.