Artwork
Rue Terre Neuve, Meudon
Rue Terre Neuve, Meudon is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Gwen John. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Rue Terre Neuve, Meudon is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 22 cm in height and 27.4 cm in width. Created by Gwen John, likely during the late 1910s or early 1920s, the piece is classified as a painting within the artist's corpus.
The application of oil paint on this specific support defines the material composition of the artwork as it resides in the National Gallery of Art.
History & Provenance
Prior to this acquisition, the work passed through the estate of the artist and was handled by Davis Galleries in New York and Faerber and Maison Ltd.
The painting Rue Terre Neuve, Meudon by Gwen John was likely created during the late 1910s to early 1920s. Following the artist's death, the work remained within her estate until 1966, when it was acquired by Davis Galleries in New York through the London dealer Faerber and Maison Ltd. Later that year, it entered a private collection in New York before being purchased in 1975 by Davis & Long Company, also of New York.
That same year, the painting was acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. The work eventually became part of the public trust when it was gifted to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1994.
The painting entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1994 as a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon. Prior to this acquisition, the work passed through the estate of the artist and was handled by Davis Galleries in New York and Faerber and Maison Ltd. in London during 1966. It was subsequently purchased by the Mellons in 1975 from Davis & Long Company.
The provided sources document the provenance chain leading to the museum but do not list specific exhibition history or an inventory accession number.
Legacy
Rue Terre Neuve, Meudon, painted by Gwen John in the late 1910s to early 1920s, exemplifies her subtle domestic interiors and quiet urban scenes. Its provenance traces from the artist's estate to Faerber and Maison Ltd., then to Davis Galleries, a private New York collection, Davis & Long Company, and finally to Paul Mellon, who gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1994. The work remains part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C., where it is cataloged with dimensions of 22 cm by 27.4 cm, preserving its legacy within John's oeuvre and early 20th-century British modernism.
The painting's enduring presence in a major U.S. institution has contributed to scholarly reassessments of Gwen John's significance, particularly in relation to her French and English contemporaries. Its inclusion in the National Gallery of Art's collection underscores its recognized artistic merit and historical importance within the corpus of modernist painting.
Overview
Created circa 1920, Rue Terre Neuve, Meudon is an oil on canvas by Welsh painter Gwen John, who spent much of her professional life in France. The work depicts a quiet street scene in the Parisian suburb of Meudon, where a woman and child walk along a dirt path framed by trees and modest houses.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on an everyday moment: a mother and child moving through a muted landscape. By placing the figures small within the broader environment, John emphasizes the ordinary rhythm of suburban life, inviting contemplation of solitude and the quiet intimacy of daily travel.
Context
The painting reflects the broader post‑impressionist shift toward expressive color and personal subject matter that characterized early 20th‑century French art. In recent years, scholarly attention has highlighted John’s nuanced handling of light and space, solidifying her position as a significant, though previously under‑recognized, figure in modern painting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gwendolen "Gwen" Mary John (22 June 1876 – 18 September 1939) was a Welsh artist who worked in France for most of her career.
