Eduardo León Garrido | Belle Époque painter

Spanish painter Eduardo León Garrido (1856-1949), was a significant figure in the Impressionist movement.

Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, he later moved to Paris where he was influenced by French artistic trends, particularly the works of Manet and the Impressionists.

He is known for his elegant portraits and genre scenes, often bathed in soft, natural light.

In 1875, at the age of 19, he arrived in Paris to continue his studies with a scholarship from the city of Madrid.

The same year he exhibited for the first time at the Salon where he presented a «Saint Jerome».

However, he painted a lot to feed the gallery of his dealer and a few galleries in Madrid.

During that period he had also some student: Anne Blanche Dillaye (1851-1931), the american painter, studied with him from 1885-1887.

From 1892 onwards it is the merchant Félix Gérard (one of the first dealers of work by Manet and Courbet), of the Rue Lafitte, which concludes with him an exclusive contract.

He probably imposed to the artist to paint a different style.

This sealed a radical departure from his 1880-1890 period, during which he painted the streets of Paris, café terraces, newspaper kiosks, and was likened to very fashionable Belle-Époque artists.

From 1892 onwards, Garrido painted almost solely gallant scenes in the 18th century style, in keeping with current tastes and clients’ demands.

Meanwhile, Garrido left Paris.

In 1888 he established a studio on the banks of the Marne at La Varenne-Saint-Hilaire (Val-de-Marne near Paris).

He married there in 1892 one of its models, Leonie Beck, and in 1893 their first child, Louis-Edouard, was born.

He is quickly integrated into local life and became an art teacher in the Philotechnic Association of La Varenne.

From 1895 onwards he presented new works at the Salon des Artistes Français and in 1914, he obtained the French citizenship, while two of his son went into battle (World War I).

He continued painting, mainly landscapes, portraits of family members (children, granddaughter Odile born in 1923) and flowers.

At the end of his life and because of poor eyesight he painted exclusively flower bouquets.

In 1939, Eduardo León and his wife Leonie arrive at Caen.

They settled with their son, Louis- Edouard, who resided there.

Eduardo Leon Garrido died there in 1949.

He is buried in the family burial at the cemetery Venoix in Caen.

Some of his paintings can be seen in the Museo del Prado (Madrid), the Museo Carmen Thyssen (Málaga), the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Argentina), Bilbao Fine Arts Museum and private collections such as the Bellver Collection in Sevilla.

In the Musée Charles Léandre in Condé-sur-Noireau there is a permanent exposition of works by Eduardo León offered by his granddaughter Odile.

Eduardo León Garrido (1856-1949) è stato un pittore Spagnolo.

Inizia la sua formazione presso la Scuola Superiore di Pittura di Madrid e come discepolo nella bottega di Vicente Palmaroli.

Grazie ad una borsa di studio assegnata dal Consiglio Provinciale di Madrid, si reca a Parigi dove frequenta il laboratorio di Raimundo Madrazo.

Successivamente viaggiò in Italia, entrando in contatto a Venezia con pittori spagnoli del calibro di Mariano Fortuny e Martín Rico.

Nel 1905 fu nominato professore alla Scuola di Arti e Mestieri di Varennes, rimanendo in Francia per il resto della sua vita.

Anche suo figlio Louis-Édouard Garrido fu pittore.

Il suo stile è influenzato dall'impressionismo e per alcuni critici presenta somiglianze con quello di Manet.

La sua opera è dedicata principalmente a temi tradizionali, ritratti di donne eleganti vestite con abiti Belle Époque e la riproduzione di scene galanti.

Ottenne un grande successo ai suoi tempi ed espose a Parigi, Londra e Monaco.

Alcune delle sue tele possono essere ammirate nel Museo del Prado (Madrid), nel Museo Nazionale di Belle Arti (Argentina), nel Museo di Belle Arti di Bilbao ed in collezioni private come la Collezione Bellver di Siviglia.