Boulevard de la Madeleine 

Edouard Cortes captured this Parisian boulevard with oil on canvas. The magic of this painting lies in its manipulation of the slick, viscous nature of oil paint. Look at the reflections on the wet street; Cortes captures the essence of a rainy day in the city, where the world is mirrored and distorted. The artist clearly understood how to apply paint thinly to suggest depth, and more thickly to catch the light. With short deliberate brushstrokes, he built up a complex composition that comes alive as we explore it. The buildings are solid, but softened by the hazy atmosphere. Notice also how the gas lamps glow and how they add warmth to the scene. In effect, the painting represents the energy of the city itself, the rhythm of labor and leisure. Cortes gives us a world of impressions rendered in oil. This painterly approach elevates the everyday, asking us to appreciate the artistry inherent in even the most common materials.