Montmartre; mills and vegetable gardens

Montmartre: Mills and Vegetable Gardens (1887) is one of several works Vincent van Gogh painted while living in Paris, capturing the rural charm that still lingered on the outskirts of the rapidly modernizing city. The scene features traditional windmills perched on a gentle hill, surrounded by small vegetable plots and garden fences, evoking a quiet, pastoral atmosphere.

Painted with a lighter palette and more spontaneous brushwork influenced by Impressionism, the work reflects Van Gogh’s shift toward brighter colors and more open compositions. This painting captures a fleeting moment in Montmartre’s transformation—where rustic life met urban expansion—and reveals Van Gogh’s enduring affection for humble, everyday landscapes.