Unknown Artist, The Heart of Montmarte, 1986

Watercolour and ink on paper
46 x 61 cm (visible), 67 x 82.5 x 3 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good

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Over forty years ago, on a sunlit afternoon in Montmartre, my wife and I found ourselves lingering over lunch at the Cadet de Gascogne—its cheerful terrace perched opposite the old stone walls of Montmartre Abbey. Beyond us stretched the artists’ square, where dozens of painters hunched over easels, each chasing the shifting light across terracotta rooftops and the distant dome of Sacré-Cœur.

After our cassoulet and a glass of rosé, we drifted into that creative bustle. One canvas, rendered in delicate watercolour and ink on paper, caught our eye: a young artist working in confident, swirling strokes to capture Rue Lepic winding up toward the hill. We told him how much we loved what he was painting and asked when it might be finished.

With a friendly grin, he dipped his brush into a puddle of cobalt and sepia and said, “I’m just adding the last touches. Why don’t you treat yourselves to a coffee and a couple of croissants at the café next door? By the time you’re back, I’ll have it ready.”

So we did—settling into rattan chairs under a striped awning, the scent of butter and espresso drifting through the air. We laughed, watched passersby, and savoured the simple pleasure of being there together.

When we returned, the artist was waiting. He handed us the finished watercolour and ink on paper: a radiant tableau of Montmartre’s rooftops, alive with light and the quick elegance of ink lines. We thanked him, tucked it carefully under our arm, and carried it back to our little apartment on Rue des Martyrs.

That painting has been with us ever since—greeting us every morning, carrying us back to that golden afternoon in Paris. It’s seen the birth of our children, moved across two continents with us, and always reminded us of the joy of discovery and the kindness of strangers.

Now, as our home fills with new memories and fresh art, it’s time for this treasured watercolour and ink on paper to find another pair of eyes to light up. May it bring you the same warmth, the same sense of wonder, and the same gentle reminder that sometimes the best moments in life come when you pause, wander, and let the world surprise you.