Edouard Cortes, of French and Spanish ancestry,
was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, a few miles east of Paris on August
8, 1882. As an adolescent, he became fascinated with the arts
and at seventeen began his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
in Paris. The year 1901 marked the artist's first exhibition at
the Salon des Artistes Francais. His piece depicting a dramatic
Paris street scene at dusk brought him immediate recognition and
fame.
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Quai du Louvre
Oil on canvas |
Later, as an active member of the prestigious
Societe des Artistes Francais, Cortes exhibited his works yearly
in Paris at the Society's salon as well as at the Salon des Independants,
and the Salon d'Hiver. With the tremendous success that his Paris
street scenes brought him during his lifetime, Cortes continues
to delight art-lovers today and is considered to be one of the
greatest masters of French Post-Impressionism.
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Harbor scene at dusk
Oil on canvas |
Edouard Cortes' paintings express the romance,
energy and charm of old Paris through his masterful application
of bold brush strokes and intriguing colors. His works display
the profound knowledge he held of perspective and composition.
The viewer's eye is most often caught by fascinating details -
the play of lights on wet pavement, shadows on streets and glowing
windows and street lamps.
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Couture dans un intérieur
Oil on board |
On any one of Cortes' canvases, one can find
an array of tones ranging from soft gray hues and ambers to vivid
reds, yellows and oranges. A splash of purple may be a man's tailored
dinner jacket or a stroke of blue, a woman's cloak. The viewer
cannot help but marvel at the overall effect of the artist's composition.
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La Madeleine,
Allée des fleuristes
Tempera on paper |
After a life long dedication to seizing the magic
of Paris during its transition from the romantic Belle Epoque
to the modern, twentieth century capital as we know it, Cortes
has left the world a legacy of master paintings. Now found in
most prestigious collections throughout Europe, the United States,
Canada, Great Britain, Australia, South America and Japan, his
work continues to awe the world.
Edouard Cortes died in 1969.
- Museums
- Lagny (Seine et Marne), France
- Melton Park Gallery, Oklahoma City, OK
- Missouri Athletic Club, St. Louis, MO
- Bibliography
- E. Benezit Dictionnaire des Peintres,
Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, and Le Počte Parisien
de la Peinture.
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Text & Images courtesy of Simic New Renaissance Gallery ™
© 2004 Simic New Renaissance Galleries
