American, 1864-1923

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY:
Paul Cornoyer was born in 1864 in St. Louis, Missouri. He studied there at the School of Fine Arts in 1881. His first works were in a Barbizon mode, and his first exhibit was in 1887. In 1889, he went to Paris for further training, studying at the Academie Julien, and returned to St. Louis in 1894.
By the early 1890s, his work was more lyrical and Tonal and he applied this style to subjects such as cityscapes and landscapes.
In 1899, Cornoyer traveled to New York City, upon the encouragement of William Merritt Chase, who had acquired some of his work (probably the Parisian scene shown at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annual in 1896-97).
In New York, Cornoyer became a specialist in Tonal urban scenes, especially after rain with its blurred effects, his masterwork being The Plaza after Rain, purchased in 1910 by the new art museum of St. Louis. He was able to capture the wet, mirrored pavements with precision, streets with horse drawn carriages, trees, aligned buildings and streets.
In addition, Cornoyer taught at the Mechanics Institute in New York, and later was an instructor in Massachusetts, moving there in 1917. He painted and exhibited his works up until his death in 1923.

EDUCATION:
1881, School of Fine Arts
1889, Academie Julien

GROUP SHOWS:
2019, Painting the City: A New York State of Mind, Questroyal Fine Art, New York
2019, New York Scenes, Debra Force Fine Art