Artwork
The Windshield, On the Road to Villacoublay
The Windshield, On the Road to Villacoublay is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Henri Matisse. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a tree‑lined road observed through the windshield of an automobile, the glass pane framing the view from inside the vehicle.
The painting depicts a tree‑lined road observed through the windshield of an automobile, the glass pane framing the view from inside the vehicle. This ordinary modern scene captures a moment of travel, with the windshield acting as a transparent barrier that mediates the driver’s perception of the surrounding landscape. By presenting the familiar countryside through the lens of contemporary technology, Matisse highlights the interplay between nature and mechanized movement, suggesting a new way of seeing and experiencing the world in the early twentieth century.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, a medium and support consistent with Matisse's standard practice of the period. The composition depicts a tree-lined road viewed through the windshield of an automobile from the interior of the vehicle, in the vicinity of Villacoublay. The canvas measures 38.2 cm in height by 55.2 cm in width, giving it a horizontal format suited to the panoramic road view.
Produced in France in 1917, the painting is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Henri Matisse created The Windshield, On the Road to Villacoublay in 1917 as an oil on canvas painting (38.2 cm × 55.2 cm). It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view today (1972.225). The work was acquired directly by the museum and has been part of its permanent collection since its acquisition.
Overview
Henri Matisse created The Windshield, On the Road to Villacoublay in 1917 with oil on canvas. The composition captures a view from inside an automobile, looking outward through the glass onto a tree‑lined road beneath a pale sky. The painting is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s permanent collection.
Context
Created during World War I, the piece reflects Matisse’s interest in modern life and technology. The automobile, a symbol of speed and progress, provides a new perspective on the landscape, aligning with broader artistic explorations of new viewpoints in the early 1900s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (French:; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship.
