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 When asked about his depictions of horse-drawn carriages in the streets of Paris as well as outdated fashions — dresses and other garments that bore the hallmarks of pre-1930s fashion design, for example — he cited a fantasy he had about being able to “stop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 Madeleine" by Edouard Leon Cortes, Signed
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
"La Madeleine" by Edouard Leon Cortes (French 1882-1969) signed Édouard Cortès l/l. Oil on canvas. Measuring 18 3/4 by 22 inches. Provenance: W...
Edouard Leon Cortes "Porte Sain-Denis" Signed Édouard Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Edouard Leon Cortes (French, 1882-1969) "Porte Sain-Denis" signed Édouard Cortès l/r. Oil on canvas. Measuring 21 /2 by 25 inches. Provenance: Wall...
Canvas
$3,950
H 33.5 in W 25.5 in D 3 in
19th Century French Grisaille Painting of Cardinal Richelieu Signed Léon Fauret
Located in Dallas, TX
Executed in France circa 1890, this refined antique grisaille oil painting depicts Cardinal Richelieu seated in his study, reading a royal dispatch while attendants await his instruc...
Canvas, Giltwood
Bahamian Street Scene Watercolor Painting by Hartwell Leon Woodcock
By Hartwell L. Woodcock
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Watercolor painting of a Bahamian street scene possibly in Nassau. Complete with a woman carrying a bundle, a man in a cart, palm trees, house, gates and warm peaceful ambiance. Sign...
Paint, Paper
$3,400
H 23.5 in W 26 in D 3.5 in
19th Century French Parisian Scene Painting in Gilt Frame Signed E. Thioulouze
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a wall with this beautiful and colorful painting. Painted on canvas in Paris circa 1890 and set in a thick carved and gilt frame, the artwork beautifully captures the vibrant atmosphere of La Madeleine in Paris, a neoclassical church known for its imposing columns. The scene is set in front of the church, where bustling market stalls display a colorful array of flowers, and elegantly dressed Parisians walk by. The artist skillfully contrasts the grand architecture with the lively street life, highlighting the charm of daily activities in the heart of Paris. The use of rich colors and detailed brushwork conveys a sense of warmth and vibrancy, encapsulating a timeless Parisian moment. The artwork is signed in the lower left corner by French artist, E. Thioulouze, a follower of Edouard Leon Cortes. The painting is in excellent condition with vibrant colors and dressed in a beautiful and elegant gilt frame. The Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, or less formally, La Madeleine, is a Catholic parish church on Place de la Madeleine in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It was planned by Louis XV as the focal point of the new Rue Royal, leading to the new Place Louis XV, the present Place de la Concorde. It was dedicated in 1764 by Louis XV, but work halted due to the French Revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte had it redesigned in the Neoclassical style to become a monument to the glory of his armies. After his downfall in 1814 construction as a church resumed, but it was not completed until 1842. The building is surrounded on all four sides by Corinthian columns. The interior is noted for its frescoes on the domed ceiling, and monumental sculptures by François Rude, Carlo Marochetti and other prominent 19th-century French artists. Edouard Léon Cortès (1882-1969) was a French painter of French and Spanish ancestry. He is known as "Le Poète Parisien de la Peinture" or "the Parisian Poet of Painting...
Giltwood
$3,270
H 48.5 in W 58.75 in D 3 in
Large Oil Painting in the Manner of Édouard-Leon Cortes, Paris France
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Miami, FL
Large Oil Painting in the Manner of Édouard-Leon Cortes, Paris France Stunning large oil painting in the manner of Edouard Léon Cortès depicting scenes of 19th century Paris, France...
Giltwood, Paint
Abstract Composition by Zoute (Leon Salter) Mid Century
Located in Rochester, NY
Abstract Modernist oil painting by Zoute. Oil on canvas mounted on board. Painted in circa 1940's. Zoute (Born-Leon Salter, 1903-1976) was self-taught and well exhibited during his...
Paint
$5,550 / set
H 16 in W 23.5 in D 2 in
19th Century Landscapes Paintings Signed Léon Dupuy (Galien-Laloue), Set of 3
By Eugene Galien-Laloue
Located in Dallas, TX
Bring warmth and refinement to any living space with this exquisite set of three antique landscape paintings. Painted in France circa 1890, each oil on board captures a peaceful rura...
Giltwood
$2,400
H 22.25 in W 26 in D 3 in
19th Century Paris Street Scene Oil on Panel in Giltwood Frame Signed L. Leje
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Dallas, TX
Painted in France circa 1890, this evocative oil on panel depicts a bustling Paris boulevard at dusk. Executed in the manner of Édouard Cortès and Eugene Galien-Laloue, the scene cap...
Giltwood
View of 'La Madeleine' by Jean Salabet, Dated 1953
By Jean Salabet
Located in San Francisco, CA
A charming oil on canvas painting of 'La Madeleine' by Jean Salabet. Signed LR : J. Salabet, Paris, 1953 Measures: 11 x 14 unframed Jean Salabet was a French, 20th century artis...
Canvas, Paint
Claude Joseph Edouard Curty Original Antique Framed Oil Painting
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Nineteenth century original oil painting signed by Claude Joseph Edouard Curty oil painting of France dating to approximately 1850. Measurements with frame: 51" wide x 44" high....
Canvas
$1,350
H 39 in W 27 in D 2.5 in
Signed Oil on Board by John Leon Moran (American 1864-1941) - Woman Making Hay
Located in Morristown, NJ
John Leon Moran (American, 1864-1941), Woman Making Hay, oil on board, signed lower center. This is a charming and evocative painting of a bygone era. The woman, dressed in working clothes and barefoot, is holding a pitchfork. The figure of the woman is very strong while the background is soft and somewhat abstract. Please Note: This painting will be professionally packed for parcel shipping. Dimensions: 29"h x 18"w (sight) 39"h x 27"w (frame) CONDITION: Good/Fair. Upper left portion of painting has areas of paint loss (see photograph) otherwise generally good. Frame and matting in good condition. Provenance: A Michael Greer...
Fabric, Wood, Masonite, Paint
"La Ratroche" Haitian Giclee Painting Signed Arijac
By Harry (Arijac) Jacques
Located in New York, NY
"La Ratroche" giclee painting signed Arijac, c. 1960's. La Ratroche is an area of Gonaives Bay, Haiti, where the artist was born. Hand carved wood fra...
Paint, Wood
Edouard Debat-Ponsan Allegorical French Enamel Plaque
Located in New York, NY
Our enamel plaque on copper after the French enamelier, Edouard Bernard Debat-Ponsan (1847-1913) depicts Truth Emerging from the Well, Vérité sortant du puits. Plaque measures approx...
Copper
"Paris Nocturne" by Edouard Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Edouard Cortes (French 1882-1969) Oil on Canvas in a fine gilt frame. From a fine Madison CT estate. Turn of the century. Guaranteed as authentic. 13 by 18 1/2" Unframed. Cortès was ...
"Place De La Bastille, Paris" Painting by Edouard Leon Cortes
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Wiscasset, ME
1882-1969. Cortes spent most of his life in the small town of Lagny, which is about 20 miles, east of Paris. He devoted his career to painting the gloriously colorful scenes of Pa...
Canvas