Édouard Leon Cortès

At age seventeen, Cortès 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 of one of his works, a dramatic Paris street scene at dusk, which brought him immediate fame. Later, as an active member of the prestigious Societe des Artistes Francais, Cortès 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. With the tremendous success that his Paris scenes brought him during his lifetime, Cortès continues to delight art-lovers today and is considered to be one of the greatest masters of French impressionism. His paintings express the romance, energy and charm of old Paris through his masterly application of bold brush strokes and intriguing colors. His works display the profound knowledge he held of perspective and composition.