Painting by Vincent van Gogh that hasn’t been exhibited to the public since it was painted

During this month’s auction, a painting by Vincent van Gogh that hasn’t been exhibited to the public since it was painted in 1887 will go up for auction. The Paris landscape was created by the Dutch master on the cusp of his impressionist phase:

The work reflects Van Gogh’s exploration of a new city as well as his first encounter with the Impressionists and other avant-garde painters in Paris, which in turn sparked a transformation of his palette. “Gone were the dark tones of his early works, replaced with the color in all its brilliance,” Sotheby’s writes in a statement. “It was in Montmartre, during these formative years, that the foundations of his inimitable style were established.”

While there is some press release sales bluster here, the painting itself shows some of his signature kinetic style – the flag appears to flutter, the trees wave in the wind, and the windmill spins. It seems alive with motion. Wonderful.

Source: Kottke