The Hill of Montmartre by Vincent van Gogh corresponds to the 1886 painting The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry. Van Gogh created the landscape shortly after moving to Paris, depicting the still relatively undeveloped northern side of Montmartre with a stone quarry in the foreground and windmills visible along the hilltop. Painted in June–July 1886, the historic oil-on-canvas work belongs to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Alpha Art Gallery offers reproductions as canvas prints, fine art prints, framed prints and 100% hand-painted oil paintings.

Montmartre Before It Became Fully Urban

Modern Montmartre is closely associated with dense streets, cafés and Parisian nightlife. Van Gogh’s 1886 landscape shows a substantially different environment.

At the time, sections of the hill remained relatively open and undeveloped. Van Gogh could walk from the apartment he shared with his brother Theo into areas containing gardens, fields, quarries and windmills.

The Van Gogh Museum identifies the quarry in the foreground as one located along Rue Caulaincourt. Above it, windmill tops project over the crest of the hill.

Van Gogh’s First Months in Paris

Van Gogh arrived in Paris in early 1886. The move would transform his art, but The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry belongs to the beginning of that transition.

He was still developing the brighter palette and freer brushwork that would characterize his later Paris paintings. Landscape provided a practical way to work directly from observation while exploring his new surroundings.

A Landscape Between Country and City

The composition is particularly interesting because it combines rural and urban identities. A quarry shows active human alteration of the terrain, while buildings and windmills indicate settlement. Yet the overall scene still feels open and comparatively rural.

This tension makes the work both a landscape and an important visual record of Montmartre before later urban development transformed the area.

Windmills on the Hill

Windmills were among Montmartre’s most recognizable landmarks in the nineteenth century. Van Gogh painted them several times while living nearby.

In this particular composition, the windmills are not monumental foreground objects. Their upper portions appear above the ridge, helping identify the location while allowing the quarry and sloping terrain to dominate the scene.

Historical Artwork Details

The historical original belongs to the Van Gogh Museum. Alpha Art Gallery sells reproductions rather than Van Gogh’s original painting and does not imply museum affiliation or endorsement.

Choose Your Hill of Montmartre Reproduction

Alpha Art Gallery offers 400–450 GSM museum-quality canvas prints and 100% hand-painted oil reproductions individually painted by professional artists.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the full title of The Hill of Montmartre?

The Van Gogh Museum identifies the painting as The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry.

When was it painted?

Van Gogh created the landscape in June–July 1886 during his first year in Paris.

What quarry appears in the painting?

The Van Gogh Museum identifies the foreground quarry with Rue Caulaincourt on the then relatively undeveloped side of Montmartre.

What are the structures on top of the hill?

Windmills are visible above the ridge, landmarks that appeared repeatedly in Van Gogh’s Montmartre work.

Where is the original?

The historical painting belongs to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Can I buy it on canvas?

Yes. Alpha Art Gallery offers multiple reproduction sizes on substantial 400–450 GSM canvas.

Can I order a hand-painted reproduction?

Yes. A professional artist can individually paint the composition using oil on canvas.

Is worldwide shipping free?

Yes. Alpha Art Gallery provides free worldwide shipping on all orders.

Bring Historic Montmartre Into Your Space

The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry captures Paris at a moment when rural land, working quarries, buildings and famous windmills still occupied the same hillside. Choose canvas, fine art, framed or hand-painted oil presentation for your interior.