Fishing, Normandy

Literature

Edouard Cortès was born in Lagny, France on April 26, 1882.  He was the son of Antonio Cortès, the Spanish court painter, who was himself the son of the painter, André Cortès.  He attended a private elementary school until age thirteen.  Thereafter, he devoted himself to painting, working and studying with his father and older brother.  In 1899, at the age of 17, he began his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and exhibited his first work at the Société des Artistes Français entitled La Labour.  The work was well received by the critics and the public.  The year 1901 marked the artist’s first exhibition at the Salon des Artistes Francais.  One of his works, a dramatic Paris street scene at dusk brought him immediate fame. Later, as an active member of the prestigious Societe des Artistes Francais, he exhibited his works yearly in Paris at the Society’s salon as well as at the Salon des Independants, and the Salon de l’Hiver.

It was at the turn of the Nineteenth century that Cortes began to paint the scenes that he would become most famous for: Paris’ streets and monuments.  Views of Paris, or as it became known “the city of lights”, were in great demand by both collectors and tourists and he, along with other artists such as Eugene Galien-Laloue (1854-1941), Luigi Loir (1845-1916), and Jean Beraud (1849-1936), captured the city during its heyday and continued with these scenes well into the 20th century. His poetic Parisian scenes are often imbued with nostalgia for a belle-epoque France. Even into the 1950’s he often painted horse drawn omnibuses and fashions preceding 1920, commenting that, at least in his paintings, he wished to stop history in 1939 before the second World War.  The window he provides into this earlier period of Parisian life offers the viewer a visual history of France.

Cortes’ views of Paris are amongst the most telling and beautiful images of this genre and continue to delight art-lovers today.  His paintings express the romance, energy, and charm of old Paris through his masterly application of bold brush strokes and intriguing colors.  In our Normandy scene, he brings together an array of vivid colors ranging from a pale blue sky to beautiful green river banks. Color palette is punctuated by the red cloak of child strolling to the beige but sun-dappled tree trunks. The vitality of the brushstrokes create a sense of movement within the serene scene. This country side work is an exceptional example and represents a departure from the artist’s  street scenes, full of delightful details evoking a space of fresh air and light.