Utrillo, Maurice, << oo TREE loh, mow REES >> (1883-1955), was a French artist known for his paintings of Paris street scenes. His favorite subject was the Montmartre district, with its steep streets and picturesque windmills. Most of Utrillo’s paintings have a melancholy feeling. The long, narrow streets are empty, or a few lonely figures wander through them. New-fallen snow and leaden skies often lend a gloomy air. From 1908 to 1914, Utrillo used white and off-white colors with soft, warm ones. His later paintings incorporate brighter colors.
Utrillo was born on Dec. 26, 1883, in Paris. His mother was Suzanne Valadon, a well-known painter and artists’ model. She introduced him to painting, but he was essentially self-taught. Utrillo painted his scenes from memory or used picture postcards as aids. He died on Nov. 5, 1955.
