A painting by Vincent van Gogh that has stayed in the same French private collection for a century, and never been shown in public, will come to auction in Paris on 25 March 2021. Scène de rue à Montmartre (Impasse des Deux Frères et le Moulin à Poivre), painted in 1887, is offered by Sotheby’s and Mirabaud Mercier with an estimate of 5 million to 8 million euros.
The oil on canvas, measuring 46.1 by 61.3 cm, belongs to the artist’s rare series depicting the Moulin de la Galette on the Montmartre hill. Few paintings from the Montmartre period remain in private hands, as most are now held in major museums, which makes the work’s appearance on the market a notable event for collectors.
Painted in the spring of 1887, while van Gogh was living on the rue Lepic in Montmartre with his brother Theo, the picture marks a turning point in his work. His exposure to Paris and to the Impressionist and avant-garde painters led him to abandon the dark tones of his earlier work and develop a brighter palette, with colour appearing for the first time in its full intensity.
The painting shows the Moulin à Poivre, also known as the Moulin Debray, which stood within the grounds of the Moulin de la Galette. The mill is seen from the Impasse des Deux Frères, the entrance topped with decorative lanterns and a carousel visible behind wooden fencing. Built around 1865, the mill was demolished in 1911 during the cutting of the avenue Junot.
Ahead of the sale, the work will travel for public exhibition, shown at Sotheby’s in Amsterdam from 1 to 3 March and in Hong Kong from 9 to 12 March, then in Paris at Drouot from 16 to 18 March and at Sotheby’s from 19 to 23 March. It leads the sale of Impressionist and modern art in Paris.
(Press Release)
