Édouard Cortès
| Édouard Cortès | |
|---|---|
 Édouard Cortès as a young man |
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| Born | 26 April 1882 Lagny/Marne, France |
| Died | November 26, 1969 Lagny/Marne, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Field | Cityscapes, Paris |
| Training | His father Antonio Cortès, École des Beaux-Arts in Paris |
| Movement | Post-Impressionism |
Édouard Leon Cortès (1882–1969) was a French post-impressionist artist of French and Spanish ancestry. He is known as "Le Poete Parisien de la Peinture" or "the Parisian Poet of Painting" because of his diverse Paris cityscapes in a variety of weather and night settings.
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[edit] Personal life
He was born on August 8, 1882 in Lagny-sur-Marne, about twenty miles east of Paris. His father, Antonio Cortès, had been a painter for the Spanish Royal Court.
In 1914 Cortès married Fernande Joyeuse, with whom he had a daughter in 1916.
Although Cortès was a pacifist, when war came close to his native village he was compelled to enlist in a French Infantry Regiment at the age of 32. As a contact agent Cortès was wounded by a bayonet, evacuated to a military hospital, and awarded the Croix de Guerre. After recovery he was the reassigned to utilize his artistic talent to sketch enemy positions. Later in life his convictions led him to refuse the Légion d'Honneur from the French Government. In 1919 he was demobilized.
His wife had died in 1918 and he soon married his sister-in-law Lucienne Joyeuse.
Cortès lived a simple life amid a close circle of friends. He died on November 28, 1969 in Lagny, and has a street named in his honor. [1]
[edit] Painting History
At the age of 17, Édouard began his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His first exhibition in 1901 brought him immediate recognition. Cortès stressed his independence. Once in responding to a journalist whom asked if he was a student of Luigi Loir; he replied in pun, "Non, elève de lui tout seul." ("No, a student of myself only.")
His works were first exhibited in North America in 1945 and he subsequently achieved even greater success. In his last year of life he was awarded the prestigious Prix Antoine-Quinson from the Salon de Vincennes. [1]
In June of 2010, a work of his entitled "Boulevard des Capucines," sold at auction for US $34,500 [2], while in March of 2011, a work of his entitled "The Pantheon," sold at auction for US $25,000 [3], and in June of 2011, a work of his entitled “Porte St. Denis,” sold at auction for US $23,000; all at Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd.[4]
[edit] Lost and stolen paintings
On November 30, 2000, four paintings by Cortès were recovered in Kalispell, Montana, following an eight-month investigation conducted by the FBI's San Francisco Division. The recovered paintings were stolen in 1988 during a burglary at the Simic Gallery in Carmel, California.[5]
In 2008, a lost Corrtès painting of a Paris street scene was discovered amongst donated items at a Goodwill Industries thrift store in Easton, Maryland. After an alert store manager noticed that it was a signed original, the painting was subsequently auctioned for $40,600 (US) at Sotheby's.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b (French) Klein, David (1999). Edouard Cortès, Le Poète Parisien de la Peinture. Hong Kong: Klein Art Gallery. ISBN 0-9672343-0-1.
- ^ Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. (2012-02-08). "Paris Street Scene By French Artist Edouard Cortes (1882-1960) Climbs To $34,500". http://www.llauctions.com/paris-street-scene-by-french-artist-edouard-cortes-1882-1960-climbs-to-34500//. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. (2012-02-08). "Strength and Consistency at Two-Day Catalogue Auction". http://www.llauctions.com/strength-and-consistency-demonstrated-at-march-18th-19th-two-day-spring-catalogue-auction-held-by-leland-little-auction-estate-sales-ltd/. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. (2012-02-08). "Landmark Million Dollar Auction". http://www.llauctions.com/landmark-auction-for-leland-little-auction-estate-sales-ltd/. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ FBI Theft Notices & Recoveries. "FBI — Art Theft Program". http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/arttheft/northamerica/us/cortes/cortes.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-20.[dead link]
- ^ Easton Team Scores Big!. Goodwill Connection. 2008. pp. p. 8.
[edit] External links
- (French) Official website
- [1]
- Édouard Cortès at the Open Directory Project
- Edouard Cortès (1882–1969): Paris and the French Countryside Revealed, biography and article from the Royal Alberta Museum
- A useful illustrated essay on Cortès
- Rehs Galleries exhibit titled Country Life: Scenes of Normandy & Brittany featuring works the artist produced in the countryside outside Paris
- Rehs Galleries exhibit titled Paris: Part I featuring numerous early works by the artist.
- Rehs Galleries exhibit titled Paris: Part II featuring numerous mid career works by Cortes
