View of Montmartre 1912

Maurice Asselin's 'View of Montmartre’ is, as far as I can tell, an oil painting. It conjures a scene of Parisian rooftops and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica rendered in shades of grey and white with some touches of black. I can imagine Asselin standing on a cold day, brush in hand, trying to capture the essence of Montmartre. The paint looks thinly applied, almost washed in places, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective. I wonder if he worked quickly, trying to beat the fading light, or if he returned to the canvas day after day, layering and adjusting until the scene felt right. See the way he’s suggested the bare branches of a tree with just a few strokes. That’s the kind of economy that comes from really looking and feeling a place, not just seeing it. Asselin seems like a painter in conversation with artists such as Derain, Matisse, and others, translating their vibrant palettes into this restrained monochromatic scheme. Painting is an ongoing conversation, with each artist adding their own voice and vision. In Asselin’s hands, Montmartre isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling, a memory, a moment captured in paint.