Montmartre Behind Moulin de la Galette by Van Gogh Photo Print

Montmartre: Behind the Moulin de la Galette by Vincent Van Gogh, oil on canvas 1887, is a landscape painting of a view from the top of the hill of Montmartre in Paris, France, with the famous, ancient landmark windmill to one side and a wide vista of the rooftops of Paris and distant hills under a bright, blue-grey sky. Rendered in broken brushstrokes of similar and contrasting colours, the picture demonstrates that Van Gogh absorbed the methods and outlook of the Impressionist painters who were then becoming popular. In the foreground foot paths fork through fenced vegetable gardens full of brilliant green leaves. Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890) was a Dutch painter of the Post-Impressionist movement known for bold, expressive drawing, swirling brushstrokes and intense, heightened colours. In early adulthood Van Gogh worked as an art dealer, teacher and pastor before taking up the full time study of drawing and painting in his late twenties. Influenced by Rembrandt, the 19th century Realists and Barbizon school, Van Gogh’s early paintings featured studies of workers and peasants in sombre earth tones. Moving to France in 1886, Van Gogh met with the startling innovations of the Impressionist painters and began to apply their approach to colour and subject matter, which continued into the mature style for which the artist is most renowned. Van Gogh produced many hundreds of drawings and paintings including portraits, landscapes, still life and flower paintings, and numerous self-portraits that became a dominating influence on the modern art of the 20th century and made him one of the most popular artists of all time.