Vincent van Gogh Print, Montmartre: Behind the Moulin de la Galette (1887)

Montmartre: Behind the Moulin de la Galette by Vincent van Gogh

Montmartre: Behind the Moulin de la Galette, painted in Paris in July 1887, shows the quieter northern side of Montmartre before the district became densely urbanised. Vegetable gardens, fences and modest buildings spread across the foreground while the city and distant landscape extend towards the horizon.

The painting belongs to an important transitional period in Van Gogh’s career. Living in Paris brought him into direct contact with Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painting, encouraging a much brighter palette and looser handling than he had used in the Netherlands.

A Rural Side of Montmartre

Today Montmartre is closely associated with crowded Parisian streets and nightlife, but Van Gogh also encountered gardens, windmills, allotments and open ground around the hill.

This painting looks away from the famous Moulin de la Galette towards the cultivated land behind it, combining cityscape and landscape in a single view.

Van Gogh’s Paris Palette

Quick touches of pale green, blue, yellow and pink create a noticeably lighter surface than Van Gogh’s earlier Dutch paintings. The broken marks and bright colour reveal his engagement with contemporary French painting.

The road and garden fences create strong perspective lines, while the distant city dissolves into increasingly light, atmospheric colour.

Montmartre Prints for Interiors

This Van Gogh Paris landscape offers a softer palette than many of his later Provençal paintings. Pale blue, green, cream and muted earth tones work beautifully with Scandinavian, contemporary and traditional interiors.

Its horizontal format makes it suitable above sofas, beds and sideboards and provides an interesting choice for anyone who wants a Van Gogh print connected with Paris rather than Arles or Saint-Rémy.

About Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) lived in Paris with his brother Theo from 1886 until early 1888. Encounters with Impressionism, Neo-Impressionism and Japanese prints dramatically expanded his understanding of colour and prepared the way for the mature paintings he would create in southern France.

Vincent van Gogh’s Painting Style

During the Paris period Van Gogh lightened his palette and experimented with broken, rapidly applied brushstrokes. Montmartre: Behind the Moulin de la Galette demonstrates this transformation particularly clearly, combining bright colour with a landscape still rooted in careful observation.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Van Gogh paint Montmartre: Behind the Moulin de la Galette?

Van Gogh painted the work in Paris in July 1887.

Where did Van Gogh live in Paris?

Van Gogh lived with his brother Theo in Montmartre, giving him easy access to the hill’s streets, gardens, quarries and windmills.

Where is the original painting?

The original belongs to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Was this painting exhibited during Van Gogh’s lifetime?

Yes. Van Gogh showed the landscape at the Salon des Indépendants in Paris in 1888.

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