Van Gogh revisited (4)

This is the fourth in a series of Vincent van Gogh’s works that will be featured as part of the works on display at the exhibition titled “Van Gogh in Paris: a Dialogue with Modernism” at Seoul Arts Center. ― ED.

"The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry" (1886) was painted by Vincent van Gogh when he was residing in the Parisian suburb of Montmartre from June 1886.

The area was known for many windmills, but by the time Van Gogh lived there with his brother Theo, there were only three of them left ― the Blute-fin, the Radet and the Poivre. Van Gogh often painted scenery dotted with windmills.

In this painting, the Dutch painter used brighter colors for the sky. The diagonal lines of fences and clouds leading to the windmill in the middle increase the sense of depth in the picture. An X-ray analysis of the piece revealed that some of the objects and people, such as the human figure in blue, were planned ahead in a rough sketch, not just added during the final phase.