A societal scandal, the bohemian lifestyle of the Fin de Siècle, and one of the most enigmatic writers in German literary history. Eduard von Keyserling - an outsider, an aristocratic dandy, a poet of European stature. In his new novel, Klaus Modick tells a story of love and betrayal, and of a writer haunted by his past. In 1901, the playwright Max Halbe invites some of his friends from Schwabing to spend the summer at Lake Starnberg. Keyserling, who has arrived at popularity among the audience and his colleagues, poses for the painter Lovis Corinth during those days. The legendary portrait will depict the author, marked by syphilis, in a strikingly fascinating ugliness. During their sessions, Corinth repeatedly inquires about the past of the Baltic count, his youth, and student years, which are shrouded in rumors.