Street in Montmartre, Paris, in the Winter 1885 - 1931

Willem de Zwart captured this street in Montmartre, Paris, using oil paints, a medium that allows for rich texture and atmospheric depth. De Zwart applied the paint in thick layers, creating a tactile surface that mimics the rough textures of the wintery urban landscape. The muted palette, dominated by greys and browns, enhances the somber mood, reflecting the harshness of the season and the everyday lives of the working class. Note the figures in the scene, burdened by their labor, their forms rendered with an economy of detail that emphasizes their toil. The artist’s deliberate choice of subject matter and his raw, unrefined painting technique challenge traditional notions of beauty, elevating the mundane aspects of urban life to the realm of fine art. By focusing on the material realities of labor and the urban environment, de Zwart blurs the boundaries between artistic representation and social commentary, reminding us of the inherent value in the act of making, whether in art or everyday life.