Although from 1945 Manessier's paintings were generally considered abstract he continued to explore religious and landscape themes. He visited Holland briefly in February 1955 and many of his paintings of the following year were, like this one, inspired by the snow-clad landscape and architecture of the Dutch plain. Manessier was struck by the cold (refered to in the title) and by the winter light, 'the sun of a yellow that was quite new to me, seen from by bedroom at Eindhoven; the somewhat windmill-like forms from a road in Zeeland'.
Inspired by a true story, Invincible recounts the last 48 hours in the life of Marc-Antoine Bernier, a 14-year-old boy on a desperate quest for freedom.