The powerful artistic appeal of the oil paintings Edward Cucuel created at Lake Starnberg is based on the delicate light conditions in which the artist set his models and the surrounding landscape. In this painting, he paid particular attention to the evening light that enters the picture from the side, enveloping the model with flattering radiance without hardening the contours. The celebratory use of tone-on-tone technique gives the white of the dress and the iridescent surface of the water a luminous life of their own. All harshness is avoided. Unified by a warm color scheme, the composition is perfectly tailored to the standing young lady – a profound expression of Cucuel’s focus on celebrating the finer things in life. His carefree young women are representative of a hedonistic lifestyle that meets its affirmation in Cucuel’s subjects. [KT]