Windmills on Montmartre

In "Windmills on Montmartre," two windmills stand prominently against a sky that suggests the changing light of a Parisian day. The one on the left, known as the Moulin de la Galette, is a central feature, its wooden structure and sails rendered with a sense of robust activity. Van Gogh moved to Paris in 1886, the year this painting was made, and this work captures the urban landscape of Montmartre before it became heavily developed. The brushwork here, particularly in the sky and the surrounding foliage, hints at the more expressive style he would fully embrace later. This painting offers a glimpse into a transitional period, where the artist was absorbing new influences and beginning to experiment with brighter colors and a more dynamic application of paint, moving away from his earlier, darker palettes.