“The Windshield,” a landscape painting created by Henri Matisse in 1917, is an emblematic work of the Fauvism art movement. This artwork is currently housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, adding to the rich collection that CMA offers to its visitors.
The artwork presents a view from the inside of a vehicle, depicting a first-person perspective of a road journey. The windshield frames the scene, with the road stretching ahead, flanked by trees and open skies. Matisse’s use of color is discernible, with varying shades that create the impression of light casting shadows and reflections inside the vehicle. The steering wheel and dashboard are depicted with a simplified form, characteristic of the Fauvist style, emphasizing bold outlines and the visceral impact of color over realistic accuracy. The sense of movement and the modernity of travel by car during the early 20th century is palpable in this portrayal.
