Paris is widely recognized as a city of romance and endless visual appeal. It seems that every building was designed to be seen and every vista to be enjoyed. Given its reputation, it’s no surprise that the City of Lights would be a haven for bohemian types – thinkers, academics and artists. For centuries, painters have attempted to capture the essence of Parisian life from a scenic perch north of the city: Montmartre.

Over the years, such artistic talents as Claude Monet, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso pointed set up their easels near the Sacre Coeur Basilica and painted the nearby sites. Sometimes they would home in on the street level, paying close attention to the burlesque show performers and panhandlers who frequented the area. Other times they would paint lush landscapes featuring what seemed like miles and miles of rooftops.