Though he painted the same streets time and time again, each work is unique in its narrative, perspective and atmosphere. Capturing the magic of Paris during the Belle Époque, his canvases soon garnered worldwide attention, particularly in Canada and America. He exhibited his first work in 1899 at the Société des Artistes Francaise in Paris where he was met with excellent reviews. Personal friends of the family, these painters would have a profound influence over the young Cortès, who flourished in this richly creative environment. Other famed artists flocked to the picturesque town of Langly where Cortès was born, including Maximilian Luce, Camille Pissaro and Lucien Pissarro, among other celebrities of the Impressionist period. Cortès' elder brother and sister were also artists and followed the plein air tenets of the Barbizon style alongside their father. His father, Antonio Cortès, was an artist in the circle of the Barbizon school, having moved to France after serving as a painter at the Spanish Royal Court. This lively composition documents the beauty of the changing seasons and the boundless energy and romance of Paris.īorn just outside of Paris, Cortès enjoyed a rich artistic heritage. Darkened by the nightfall, Cortes illuminates his scene with the warm light of the trolley car and the incandescence of the gas lamps.Ĭortès' canvases capture the essence of the Parisian Belle Époque, showcasing the flourishing fashion, art and culture of the era. Cortès depicts a busy thoroughfare from a unique perspective, emphasizing the dynamic movement of the vehicles and pedestrians and also the graceful geometric lines of the architecture and street. On 1stDibs, find a collection of original Édouard Leon Cortès paintings.A charming night scene of a snowy Parisian avenue, this energetic oil on canvas by Edouard Léon Cortès captures the beauty and vitality of winter in the City of Lights. Ten years after his death in 1969, the city of Lagny - where Cortès had spent most of his life - named a street in his honor. Cortès was prolific - he painted the streets of Paris and its well-known landmarks as well as majestic landscapes, interiors, boats and scenes that unfolded at Parisian harbors. He remarked that his oil paintings, pastels and watercolors should speak for themselves. When asked about his depictions of horse-drawn carriages in the streets of Paris as well as outdated fashions - dresses and other garments that bore the hallmarks of pre-1930s fashion design, for example - he cited a fantasy he had about being able to “stop time” so that the Second World War wouldn’t have taken place.Ī humble man, Cortès refused interviews and preferred anonymity. Later, during World War II, Cortès and his family spent time in Normandy to escape the horrors of the conflict. When he was able to return to his easel, Cortès desired solely to paint peaceful scenes of France’s capital city. The artist spent time sketching enemy positions on the front lines, and this may have deepened his anti-war resolve. Cortès went on to study at École des Beaux-Arts.Īs World War I gained steam, Cortès willingly joined the French military effort even though he was a pacifist. He found success among art critics as well as the public and earned renown in France. The son and pupil of Spanish painter Antonio Cortès, his influences included Barbizon painters Constant Troyon and Henri Harpignies.Įstablishing a name for himself early on in his long career, Cortès first exhibited a painting he called La Labour at the Société des Artistes Français when he was still in his late teens. Édouard Leon Cortès is widely known for his Impressionistic renderings of Parisian promenades and rustic French hamlets.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |