Terrace of a Cafe on Montmartre (La Guinguette)
Painting on canvas • Vincent van Gogh
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionism / Transition from Impressionism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, featuring expressive impasto, rapid brushwork, and a vibrant color palette characteristic of the artist's Post-Impressionist transition.
Creation Period
October 1886
Dimensions & Format
49.5 x 64.5 cm; landscape orientation
Subject Description
A view of 'La Guinguette' in Montmartre, Paris. The composition shows an outdoor café terrace with patrons seated at wooden tables under a trellis. A central gas lamp provides a vertical anchor. The scene captures the social leisure of 19th-century Parisian life using a lighter palette influenced by the Impressionists.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (Institutional standard). Visible craquelure consistent with age and the artist's heavy application of paint.
Estimated Market Value
$40,000,000 - $60,000,000 (Market estimation based on recent sales of Paris-period Van Goghs)
Auction Estimate
$35,000,000 - $55,000,000
Provenance History
Currently in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris. Bequest of Antonin Personnaz, 1937. Formally held in private Parisian collections.
Art Historical Significance
A pivotal work from Van Gogh's Paris period (1886-1888), marking his move away from the dark, earthy tones of his Dutch period toward the bright, expressive color language that would define his later masterpieces in Arles.
Notable Features
Includes a visible signature 'Vincent' in the lower left corner. The painting is a primary example of Van Gogh's early experimentation with Pointillist dots (visible in the trees and ground) and his fascination with the urban landscape of Montmartre.
Condition Issues
Stable craquelure across the paint surface; some yellowing of old varnish may be present, though typically managed by museum conservation.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain strictly controlled humidity (50% ±5%) and temperature (20°C). UV-filtered lighting and vibration-minimizing housing for transport.