Ecstasy c.1963
Oil on canvas, 61 x 91.5cm

By his own admission, the beauty of Renske reclining nude in bright sunlight inspired Cyril Mann to the point of ecstasy. Hence the title of this emotionally-charged painting.

Technically, it is a "tour de force", done in a matter of hours with the artist taking terrific chances in the process of painting.

The light clearly takes precedence over the subject matter of the sleeping figure, taking it ever closer to abstraction.