Bouquinistes 

Edouard Cortes painted this street scene, "Bouquinistes," sometime in the mid-20th century, using oil on canvas. The composition, rendered in soft, muted tones, captures a Parisian scene along the Seine, with the Notre Dame cathedral looming in the background. The eye is drawn along the horizontal stretch of the bouquiniste stalls, punctuated by figures browsing the books and prints. Cortes' technique, characterized by loose brushstrokes and attention to light and atmosphere, imbues the scene with a sense of transient modernity. The reflections on the wet pavement add a dynamic quality to the painting, suggesting movement and change. However, there is a structural stability to the composition. The architecture of Notre Dame and the repetitive forms of the book stalls provide a grid-like structure to the painting. Ultimately, the painting functions as a tableau of Parisian life, one where the ephemeral quality of a modern city intersects with the enduring presence of cultural heritage. It invites ongoing interpretation and contemplation about the city as a site of memory.