This captivating work invites the viewer to a serene vista of Montmartre. The foreground presents a rugged landscape with workers gathered, shrouded in an earthy palette. There’s a raw energy emanating from the textured brushstrokes that Van Gogh employs to depict the earth's substance; it’s as if one can feel the cool air and the weight of labor exerted by the figures. The vivid contrasts between the light and dark enhance the depth; light dances across the terrain, illuminating patches of grass intertwined with rocks. As the eye travels up the canvas, the horizon reveals a series of quaint structures crowned with windmills, their blades frozen in time, as clouds billow dramatically in the backdrop, hinting at change in the weather.

The overall composition, rather than dispersing the viewer's gaze, pulls it from the vibrant foreground to the layered hills in the background. The sky—filled with swirling and energetic clouds—appears alive, perhaps echoing Van Gogh's emotional state during this period. This landscape captures a moment of tranquil yet dynamic coexistence between humanity and nature, a juxtaposition of labor and serenity. It evokes a fleeting stillness where the artist seems to capture a heartbeat of Montmartre, one of the seminal locales in the artist’s life, marking the intimate relationship he fostered with this vibrant neighborhood.