Charles Villeneuve

CHARLES VILLENEUVE (Nantes, France, 1971).
“Madrid,” 2012.
Watercolor and pastel on paper.
Signed and dated in the lower right corner.
Metal frame made by the artist.
The frame exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 68 x 61 cm; 71 x 71 x 10 cm (frame).

Madrid holds a significant place in the career of Charles Villeneuve, who settled in Spain after his time at the Casa de Velázquez. This 2012 view thus forms part of one of the most representative strands of his work: the urban landscape viewed through a lens where painting and architectural training converge. The silhouette of Torrespaña organizes the composition through a powerful vertical axis, rising above a city built with geometric planes and a restrained palette of grays and blues. The transparency of the watercolor defines the atmosphere and distance, while the pastel adds density and graphic accents to the foreground, combining constructive precision with visual synthesis. Watercolor is precisely the central medium through which Villeneuve has developed his unique interpretation of the architecture and landscapes of cities such as Madrid, Paris, Venice, and New York.

An architect, designer, and painter, Charles Villeneuve initially trained as a cabinetmaker and later in design and architecture. In 1997, he received the Grand Prix National d’Architecture from the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and from 1999 to 2001 he was a member of the artistic section of the Casa de Velázquez. His work is held, among other institutions, at the MEAM in Barcelona, the Casa de Velázquez, and the Institut de France.