The hill of Montmartre with stone quarry (1886)

The painting titled "The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry" by Vincent Van Gogh, created in 1886, presents a captivating rural landscape of Montmartre, an area historically on the outskirts of Paris, France. This idyllic scene starkly contrasts with the more urban and modern representations commonly associated with Montmartre, known for its artistic vibrancy and bohemian lifestyle characteristic of the later 19th century.In this artwork, the foreground features a green hill that gently slopes to the left. This verdant area is textured, showing indications of grassy patches typical of a less manicured natural terrain. In the lower part of the painting, remnants of a stone quarry are visible, hinting at the industrial activity that occurred in the area. Van Gogh's brushwork here employs rough, dynamic strokes evoking the ruggedness of the terrain and the raw materials extracted from it.A focal point of the painting is the windmill positioned on the right-hand side, on top of the hill. This traditional structure, with its distinctive large blades, might be seen as a symbol of rural life and a rapidly vanishing countryside amidst Paris's expansion during that era. Alongside the windmill and extending across the middle ground, there are numerous wooden buildings, perhaps sheds or storage huts, which contribute to the rustic charm of the scene.A lone figure, possibly a laborer or a passerby, is depicted near the bottom center of the painting.