Édouard Leon Cortès is widely known for his Impressionistic renderings of Parisian promenades and rustic French hamlets. The son and pupil of Spanish painter Antonio Cortès, his influences included Barbizon painters Constant Troyon and Henri Harpignies.
Establishing 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. He found success among art critics as well as the public and earned renown in France. Cortès went on to study at École des Beaux-Arts.
As World War I gained steam, Cortès willingly joined the French military effort even though he was a pacifist. The artist spent time sketching enemy positions on the front lines, and this may have deepened his anti-war resolve. When he was able to return to his easel, Cortès desired solely to paint peaceful scenes of France’s capital city.
Later, during World War II, Cortès and his family spent time in Normandy to escape the horrors of the conflict. When asked about his depictions of horse-drawn carriages in the streets of Paris as well as outdated fashions — dresses and other garments that bore the hallmarks of pre-1930s fashion design, for example — he cited a fantasy he had about being able to “stop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.
A humble man, Cortès refused interviews and preferred anonymity. He remarked that his oil paintings, pastels and watercolors should speak for themselves. 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. 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.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of original Édouard Leon Cortès paintings.
La charette par temps d'Orage - Impressionist Landscape Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on panel horse and figure in landscape circa 1925 by impressionist painter Edouard Leon Cortes. The work depicts a figure leading his horse and cart along a track outside ...
Oil, Panel
Boulevard de Capucines-Nuit - Impressionist Cityscape Oil by Edouard Leon Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on panel figures in cityscape circa 1920 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts a a view of the Boulevard de Capucines, on the Grand...
Oil, Panel
Le Quai du Louvre - Impressionist Figures in Landscape Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed impressionist oil on canvas board figures in cityscape circa 1940 by sought after French painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts a bustling evening street scene at the quay b...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Le Cafe Briard - Paris - Impressionist Figures in Landscape Oil - Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed impressionist oil on canvas figures in cityscape circa 1930 by sought after French painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts a bustling evening street scene outside the Cafe Br...
Canvas, Oil
Place De La Madeleine Le Soir
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 24 x 36 inches Framed size: 32.5 x 44.5 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
Arc de Triomphe - Impressionist Figures in Cityscape Oil by Edouard Leon Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas figures in cityscape circa 1960 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts a view of the Arc de Triomphe and Avenue de Friedla...
Oil, Canvas
Boulevard de la Madeleine
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Greenville, DE
Excellent example of Cortès Paris scene. Provenance: Galerie Haussmann, Paris.Herbert Arnot, Inc., New York, New York (May 29, 1964).Country Store Gallery, Austin, Texas (February 2...
Canvas, Oil
$13,753
A Breton Interior - Impressionist Interior Oil Painting by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed figures in interior oil on canvas circa 1910 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Leon Cortes. This charming and nostalgic work depicts a family enjoying dinne...
Canvas, Oil
Pommiers en Fleurs Gouvernes - Impressionist Landscape Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas horse and figure in landscape circa 1930 by impressionist painter Edouard Leon Cortes. The work depicts a figure leading his horse and cart along a track on a br...
Oil, Canvas
Théâtre du Vaudeville, Paris
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 13 x 18 inches Framed size: 19 x 23.5 inches Signed lower left
Canvas, Oil
Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle - Impressionist Cityscape Oil by Edouard Leon Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed and titled oil on canvas figures in cityscape circa 1930 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts a bustling evening street sccene on the...
Canvas, Oil
L'Arc de Triomphe - Le Soir - Impressionist Landscape Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas board figures in cityscape circa 1940 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts an autumnal scene of the the Arc de Triomphe,...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Port Saint-Denis - Le Soir - Impressionist Cityscape Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas figures in landscape circa 1920 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts an autumnal scene of the the Porte Saint-Denis (St ...
Canvas, Oil
La Madeleine – Le Soir Impressionist Cityscape Oil Painting by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed figures in landscape circa 1950 by French impressionist painter Eduoard Cortes. The work depicts a view of La Madaleine, a Catholic parish church situated on Place de la Madel...
Oil, Canvas
$147,504
Place de la République, Large Oil on Canvas by Edouard Léon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Madrid, ES
EDOUARD LÉON CORTÈS French, 1882 - 1969 PLACE DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE signed "EDOUARD CORTÈS." (lower right) oil on canvas 25-3/4 x 36-1/4 inches (65 x 91.5 cm.) framed: 33-1/2 x 44-1/4 inches (85 x 112 cm.) PROVENANCE Private Collection, Chicago Edouard Léon Cortès (1882–1969) was a French post-impressionist artist of French and Spanish ancestry. He is known as "Le Poète Parisien de la Peinture" or "the Parisian Poet of Painting...
Oil, Canvas
Porte Saint Denis, Winter
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 10.5 x 18 inches Framed size: 15.5 x 24 inches Signed lower left
Canvas, Oil
$22,946
Effet de Lampe - Impressionist Figures in Interior Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed figures in interior oil on canvas circa 1920 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Leon Cortes. This charming and nostalgic work depicts a family in a typical B...
Canvas, Oil
Lumiere Du Soir Sur La Boulevard De Madeleine
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 13 x 18 inches Framed size: Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
Boulevard de la Madeleine in Winter
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Austin, TX
An original oil painting attributed to Master Painter of the Paris Street Scene, Édouard Leon Cortés (French, 1882 - 1969, ). The painting features Cortès's quintessential subject, the bustling environment of an urban Parisian block at street level, amidst the transformation of the Industrial Revolution. This painting captures a flickering moment in the life of Boulevard de la Madeleine, and its inhabitants. Snow an ice cover the street and roof tops. The street is lined with bare trees, glowing shop windows, and antique motor...
Canvas, Oil
La Famille - Impressionist Interior Figurative Oil Painting by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed and titled figures in interior oil on panel circa 1920 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Leon Cortes. This charming and nostalgic work depicts a family enjo...
Oil, Panel
Porte Saint-Martin
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 10.5 x 18.25 inches Framed size: 17.5 x 25 inches Signed lower left
Canvas, Oil
Place De La Bastille By Edouard Léon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edouard Léon Cortès 1882-1969 French Place de la Bastille Signed “Edouard Cortès” (lower left) Oil on canvas A glowing warmth radiates from this bustling street scene by the reno...
Canvas, Oil
Edouard Léon Cortès, Notre-Dame View from The Quays
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Madrid, ES
EDOUARD LÉON CORTÈS French, 1882 - 1969 NOTRE-DAME VIEW FROM THE QUAYS signed "EDOUARD CORTÈS." (lower right) oil on wood panel 6-1/8 x 8-3/4 inches (16 x...
Wood Panel, Oil
Edouard Léon Cortès, Paris Evening
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Madrid, ES
EDOUARD LÉON CORTÈS French, 1882 - 1969 PARIS EVENING signed "EDOUARD CORTÈS" (lower right) oil on canvas 25-3/4 x 36-1/4 inches (65 x 91.5 cm.) framed: 31-3/4 x 42-1/2 inches (80.5 x 108 cm.) This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by "Comité Édouard CORTÈS" PROVENANCE Private Collection, France Edouard Léon Cortès (1882–1969) was a French post-impressionist artist of French and Spanish ancestry. He is known as "Le Poète Parisien de la Peinture" or "the Parisian Poet of Painting...
Oil, Canvas
"Theatre du Vaudeville", Edouard Cortes, 18x22, Oil/Canvas, French Impressionism
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Dallas, TX
Vaudeville Theatre by Edouard Cortes was painted circa 1955-60 and signed lower left. It is oil on canvas measuring 18x22 in original unlined condition....
Canvas, Oil
The Louvre in Paris
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 13 x 18 inches Framed size: 20 x 25.5 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
"Theatre de Sara Barnhardt", Edouard Cortes, 13x18, Oil on Canvas, Impressionism
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Dallas, TX
Theatre de Sara Bernhart et Place de Chatelet by Edouard Cortes was painted circa 1935-40 and signed lower right. It is an oil on canvas measuring 13x18...
Canvas, Oil
Coucher de Soleil, Paris
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on board Board size: 13 x 18 inches Framed size: 21 x 26 inches Signed lower right
Oil, Board
Price Upon Request
Avenue de Friedland, L’Arc de Triomphe
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Missouri, MO
Framed Size: 21 x 26 inches *This work has been authenticated by Nicole Verdier Provenance: Johnson Gallery, Chicago IL, circa 1967/1968 Cortès was born in Lagny, France on April 26, 1882. During his early lifetime, Paris was the center of the art world. Artist from across the globe traveled there to study and paint it's beautiful countryside and cities; views of Paris, or as it became known 'the City of Lights', were in great demand by both collectors and tourists. Édouard Cortès, along with other artists like Eugene Galien-Laloue (1854-1941), Luigi Loir (1845-1916) and Jean Beraud (1849-1936) answered their call. Specializing in Paris street scenes, each of these artists captured the city during its heyday and continued with these scenes well into the 20th century.Édouard was the son of Antonio Cortès - the Spanish Court painter - who was himself the son of the artisan André Cortès...
Canvas, Oil
$1,200
H 17 in W 13 in D 1.25 in
"View of the Empire State NYC in Snow" Impressionistic Ashcan School Style
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
An impressionistic depiction of a figure in the snow with cars and buildings in the busy City Streets. The Empire State Building is portrayed in the background as the snow filled str...
Canvas, Oil, Board
$5,000
H 24 in W 27 in D 2 in
"Summer Day at Nice" French Beach Scene Impressionistic Oil Painting on Canvas
By Suzanne Demarest
Located in New York, NY
A stunning oil painting scene depicting figures by the beach in a sunny day at Nice, France done in the 20th Century. The vibrant colors and impressionistic brushwork is done with bo...
Canvas, Oil
$3,800
H 24 in W 18 in D 1 in
Early 20th Century Figurative -- The Paper Boy and His Comics
By Louise Miller Clark
Located in Soquel, CA
Wonderful 1940s figurative of paper boy reading the comics by Louise Miller Clark (American, 20th Century). Signed "Louise Miller" lower right. Unframed. Im...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$2,557
H 9 in W 10.25 in D 1 in
Pair of early 20th Century British Impressionist paintings of the beach
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Attributed to Rowland Wheelwright, 20th Century 'Bather's on the shore' and 'Sunbathing by the Cliffs' Oil on canvas board 9 X 10. 1/4in. (22.8 X 2...
Canvas, Oil, Board
$2,500
H 11.5 in W 13.5 in D 1.25 in
"Point Pleasant" Bucks County New Hope PA River Snow Scene Oil Painting Framed
By Christopher Willett 1
Located in New York, NY
A wonderful Impressionist winter pastoral scene of colorful quaint homes by the river. Willet has portrayed this piece in a most intimate, yet energetic way, and has packed much feel...
Oil, Board, Canvas
$4,135
H 8.67 in W 11.82 in
Frants Henningsen Oil Study of Cattle Danish Plein Air Painting
Located in Stockholm, SE
This small oil study by Frants Henningsen is striking in its simplicity and immediacy. A single cattle dominates the foreground, resting in the grass with a sense of physical weight ...
Oil, Panel
$600
H 6 in W 8 in D 0.25 in
"Twilight Over a Mountain Lake" (2025) Landscape Impressionist Oil Painting
By Devin Michael Roberts
Located in Denver, CO
Devin Michael Roberts' (US based) "Twilight Over a Mountain Lake" is a beautiful original oil painting on panel, depicting a deep and saturated red sunset, close to dusk. Artist bio...
Oil, Panel
"Sheepish" Oil Painting
By Clyde Steadman
Located in Denver, CO
Clyde Steadman's "Sheepish" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts an impasto painting of a sheep gathered on a green hillside.
Oil, Panel
$2,100
H 38.59 in W 35.63 in
Vibrant Impressionist Landscape: Cypresses and Stream
Located in New York, NY
This captivating oil painting by Argentine Impressionist master Adán Pedemonte, beautifully captures the serene essence of a sun-drenched rural landscape. The artwork showcases Pedem...
Canvas, Oil
$1,800
H 18.38 in W 14.38 in
The Artist, American Impressionist, 1928, Oil on Canvas on Board, Painter, Woods
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Leon Foster Jones was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. He studied under Joseph Rodefer DeCamp and Ernest Lee Major at the Cowles Art School in ...
Canvas, Oil, Board
"Cove" Oil Painting
By Leigh Ann Van Fossan
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Cove" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts bright teal colored cove where water meets the shore and the atmospheric pastel sky reflects in the b...
Oil, Canvas
$2,764
H 10 in W 14 in D 2 in
George Boyle Impressionist oil painting, Barbizon School of cows grazing
Located in Harkstead, GB
A superb example of a Barbizon inspired landscape painted by the "Catford Corot" from the late 19th Century. This very striking image shows the artist at the absolute peak of his abi...
Oil, Wood Panel
Sold
H 25.75 in W 29.88 in D 2 in
La Madeleine by Edouard Léon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edouard Léon Cortès 1882-1969 French La Madeleine Signed “Edouard Cortès” (lower left) Oil on canvas Luminous and rich with detail, this oil on canvas was painted by the great Fr...
Canvas, Oil
Place De La Madeleine Au Crepuscule
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: Framed size: 29 x 34.5 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
Rue De La Paix, Paris
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on Canvas Canvas Size: 13 x 18 inches Framed Size: 20 x 25 inches Signed Lower Left
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 20.25 in W 25.63 in D 2.5 in
Porte Saint-Denis, Winter by Édouard Leon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in New Orleans, LA
Édouard Leon Cortès 1882-1969 I French Porte Saint-Denis, Winter Signed “Édouard Cortès” (lower right) Oil on canvas Renowned as the “Parisian Poet of Painting,” Édouard Léon Cort...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 20 in W 25 in
L'avenue des Champs-Elysees - Impressionist Figurative Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed figures in cityscape oil on canvas circa 1950 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. This stunning and wonderfully coloured work depicts a view of The Av...
Oil, Canvas
Sold
H 20 in W 25 in
Devant le Theatre du Vandeville - Impressionist Cityscape Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas figures in landscape circa 1920 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts an evening scene in front of the Vaudeville Theatre...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 27 in W 33 in D 3 in
View of Notre Dame, Winter by Edouard Léon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edouard Léon Cortès 1882-1969 French View of Notre Dame, Winter Signed “Edouard Cortès” (lower left) Oil on canvas An atmospheric glow radiates from this bustling street scene by...
Oil
Sold
H 20 in W 25 in
Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle - Impressionist Cityscape Oil by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas figures in landscape circa 1920 by sought after French impressionist painter Edouard Cortes. The work depicts an autumnal scene of the the Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle, Paris at night. The last of the leaves have turned brown. To the right, the lights of the theatre reflect in wet pavement below which is bustling with citygoers. Carriages and trams line the streets below the inky night sky. Signature: Signed lower left Dimensions: Framed: 20"x25" Unframed: 13"x18" Provenance: This work is included in Tome III of the Catalogue Raisonne of Edouard Cortes by Mme. Nicole Verdier and is illustrated under entry no. 1318 Edouard Leon Cortes, the son of the painter Antonio Cortès, was sent to the front during World War I to sketch enemy positions. In civilian life, his base was in Lagny in the former studio of Cavallo-Peduzzi. Although he travelled extensively in France. Notably in Normandy, Brittany, the Champagne region and Savoy painting...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 25.5 in W 29 in D 3.25 in
Le Terminus Madeleine-Bastille À Paris By Edouard Léon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edouard Léon Cortès 1882-1969 French Le terminus Madeleine-Bastille à Paris Signed “Edouard Cortès” (lower right) Oil on canvas Celebrated as the "Parisian Poet of Painting," Edo...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 26.38 in W 29.38 in D 1.25 in
Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle By Edouard Léon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edouard Léon Cortès 1882-1969 French Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle Signed “Edouard Cortès” (lower right) Oil on canvas French Post-Impressionist artist Edouard Léon Cortès captures one of the grand boulevards of Paris in this extraordinary oil on canvas. The subject is the Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, an iconic Parisian thoroughfare that bustles with activity and vibrancy. Cortès perfectly evokes the vitality of the urban landscape at dusk, with the busy street and stylish pedestrians awash in the warm glow of lantern light and the setting sun. Renowned for his vibrant canvases that capture the elegance and magic of The City of Lights, Cortès devoted his career to bringing the spectacle de la rue to life on canvas. His paintings express the romance and energy of a bygone Paris, and the fashionable boulevards of La Belle Époque have forever been immortalized in his oeuvre. Dubbed the “Parisian Poet of Painting,” Cortès possessed the uncanny ability to portray the very essence of his beloved city throughout the passing seasons and years. Though he painted the same streets time and time again, each work is unique in its narrative, perspective and atmosphere. Raised in a prolific artistic environment, Cortès was an avid student of both his father, French painter Antonio Cortès and his older brother, Andre. The young artist was greatly influenced by his father and other famous artists who flocked to the picturesque town of Langly where Cortès was born. Maximilian Luce, Camille Pissaro and Lucien Pissaro...
Canvas, Oil
Les Acheteurs Parisiens
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 10.75 x 14 inches Framed size: 14.25 x 17.25 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
L'avenue Des Champs-élysees au Crepuscule
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 13 x 18 inches Framed size: 20 x 25.25 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil