Een buitenwijk van Parijs, gezicht vanaf Montmartre

Between 1886 and 1888, Vincent van Gogh lived in Paris. His brother Theo was also living there at the time. In Paris, Van Gogh produced a number of large autonomous drawings that, with their size and manner of execution, differ considerably from his usual pen or pencil sketches which served as preliminary studies for paintings. This exceptionally detailed drawing depicts a view of Montmartre. In the foreground we see the quarries which at the time were in the northeast of the city, while the background depicts the hustle and bustle of a rapidly-expanding city. In Paris, Van Gogh began to collect Japanese prints. The compositional style and bright colors of the drawing display the influence of Japanese woodcuts. The collection of the Stedelijk Museum holds a painting with a related theme: ‘Vegetable Gardens in Montmartre’, also from 1887.