Le bal du moulin de la Galette

Le bal du moulin de la Galette (“Dance at Le moulin de la Galette”) — Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1876

This just brings me so much joy. The depiction of regular folks having fun, the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees, and also I learned that Montmartre used to have windmills back then? Which totally makes sense of course, since it’s the highest spot in Paris. The Moulin de la Galette was a flour mill that sold little round breads (the eponymous galettes), and later expanded into a drinking establishment with outdoor dancing space. Back then Montmartre was still pretty rural, and city folks would come up to enjoy the country atmosphere and fine views of Paris.