In 1886, Vincent van Gogh went to live with his brother Theo in Montmartre. This vibrant quarter of Paris, with its many cafés, shops selling art and artists’ supplies and its cheap restaurants and brothels, was the bustling hub of artistic Paris. In the two years he spent there, the realistic painter of peasant life developed into a modern artist following in the footsteps of the Impressionists. This book describes Van Gogh’s relationship with Montmartre. His new surroundings offered him a wealth of subjects to paint and draw. Its distinctive windmills and vegetable gardens, the view over the city, the old narrow streets and the people out for a stroll – he captured everything with great enthusiasm and a fine eye for detail. Van Gogh also became friendly with other artists during this period and made his first serious attempts to sell and exhibit his work. By the time he left for Arles in the south of France in 1888, Van Gogh had gained a modest place for himself in the Parisian avant-garde. Nienke Bakker is curator of exhibitions at the Van Gogh Museum
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