The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry, 1886
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
Oil on Canvas, 32 X 41 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
(Vincent van Gogh Stichting)
F 229

From June 1886 Vincent and Theo lived in the Parisian suburb of Montmartre, once the border between the city and the surrounding countryside. Van Gogh painted numerous views of the area. Most often – as here – he was attracted by the disappearing rural aspects of the neighborhood: the fields, pastures, farmhouses and windmills. The quarry in the foreground, however, reveals the encroachment of the city.

The diagonal lines of the fences and clouds draw the viewer?s eye to the middle of the composition, towards the large windmill just to the right of center. This helped increase the sense of depth in the picture.