EDOUARD LEON CORTES (1882-1969)   Country Life: Scenes in Normandy & Brittany   While most people are familiar with Edouard Cortes’ glorious Parisian Street scenes, very few actually know that he also painted many landscapes and interiors in the Normandy and Brittany areas.  In 1925 he and his family moved back to Lagny – the small town, just east of Paris, where he was born and grew up.   Lagny had a rich, artistic heritage and was an area that many artists visited to gather inspiration including Lebasque, Luce and Pissarro. It was during his return to Lagny that he became active in the Union des Beaux-Arts de Lagny and was elected its first president.  The Union’s first exhibition was held in 1927 and Cortès continued to exhibit there until the late 1930’s.  Cortès also set up a second studio in the town of Ouistreham in the Normandy area during this period. These Realist works, painted from 1925 – 1945, capture the simple and quiet life of the countryside.  They are tranquil and often feature a few figures going about their daily life.  Like his Paris street scenes, these painting are created with impressionistic brushstrokes and bright colors; even when he paints his evening scenes, Cortès always adds a few of his signature colors – red, yellow and blue – in a window, shop sign or gas lantern.  In 1930 he exhibited Le Marché à Lagny at the Union des Beaux-Arts.  The work depicted the busy market in the town of Lagny on a warm sunny day and was so popular that it was purchased by the city – where it is still displayed. This essay is copyrighted by Rehs Galleries, Inc. and may not be reproduced or transmitted without written permission from Rehs Galleries, Inc.   For publications featuring the works of Edouard Cortes please visit our BOOKS page. Please remember that all works illustrated below have been SOLD. Click on any image to enlarge it and see more information about the work Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Place de l'Hotel de Ville, jour de marche Oil on board 10 1/2 x 8 3/4 inches Signed; also stamped by the artist on the reverse   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Été au Jardin Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Concarneaux in Bretagne Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Bretonne Assise Face a la Cheminee Oil on board 19 3/4 x 19 3/4 Signed Painted c. 1935   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) The Ferryman Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) By the Mill Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Gathering Twigs in Winter Oil on board 15 x 18 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Soir de Neige Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Soir d’Hiver Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) At the Village Blacksmith Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Soir de Neige Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed and titled on the reverse Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Pommiers en fleur (Printemps à Gouvernes) Oil on panel 15 x 20 inches Signed Titled by the artist on the panel (verso) Pommiers en fleurs. Also indistinctly titled on an old label (verso).   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Scene de Village Oil on panel 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Le Pecheur au Riviere (Crécy-en-Brie) Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1930 Today the village is known as Crécy-la-Chapelle and the street depicted is Quai des tanneries. The house with the high roof has an open front to allow cow and sheep pelts to dry.   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Femme Recurant les Cuivres Oil on board 18 x 15 inches Signed Painted c.1935-40   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Famille le soir à la veillée Oil on canvas 18 x 13 inches Signed and dated 1921 Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Family Interior Oil on canvas 18 x 13 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Pottery Market in Guingamp Oil on board 9 1/4 x 13 3/4 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Family in Brittany Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Ma Mere Oil on panel 6 1/4 x 8 1/2 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) A Little River Near Paris Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed The mill pictured is possibly Le Moulin de Douvres which is in the village of Torcy between Lagny and Gournay, on a branch of river Marne.   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) La Fermiere Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Landscape with Horse and Carriage Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed c.1935-40   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Le sud de la France Oil on panel 14 3/4 x 18 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Pêcheur à Biercy-sur-Morin (Seine-et-Marne) Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) La Barque Oil on panel 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1935-40   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Little Village in Normandy Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; titled on the stretcher in pencil   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Interieur, effet de lampe Oil on canvas 21 1/4 x 25 1/4 inches Signed; also signed and titled on a label on the reverse Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Le Tricot Oil on panel 18 1/4 x 21 inches Signed Painted c.1930   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Intérieur au chat Oil on canvas 15 x 18 inches Signed   Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Paysage anime de personnages Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Edouard Leon Cortes (1882 - 1969) Pecheur a la ligne dans le bras d'une riviere Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed