Edouard Léon Cortès (French, 1882–1969) was a French Post-Impressionist artist of French and Spanish ancestry. Born into a family of artists, his father, Antonio Cortés Cordero, was a painter at the royal court of Spain. In this artistic atmosphere, Cortès showed exceptional talent early on, and decided at a young age that he was destined to be a painter.

In his youth, Cortès trained at his father’s studio, and was also given advice and encouragement from his brother (also a painter) and other local artists. Before undergoing his formal education at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, a 16-year old Cortès first exhibited his work at the national exhibition of the Société des Artistes Français in Paris in 1899. His large painting, Le Labour, was a great success, and the French press lauded the young phenomenon of the French art scene.

Cortès eventually became a member of the French Artists’ Society, exhibiting his works every year as his reputation began to grow. In 1901, Cortès began his long tradition of painting different vignettes of Paris. He also painted familial interiors, landscapes, and seascapes, but achieved international fame through these masterly and expressive Parisian scenes. In 1915, he was awarded the Silver Medal at the Société des Artistes Français, and the Gold Medal at the Salon des Indépendants. He also received numerous awards at the Salon d’Hiver during his artistic career.