Vincent in Paris
(Spring 1887)

 In the spring of 1887 Vincent Van Gogh stayed with Émile Bernard and his parents in Asnières and the budding spring seemed to trigger an awakening within van Gogh where he experimented with the genres to develop his personal style. In a country setting, undergoing industrialization, van Gogh was able to depict his reverence for rural life and express concern about encroachment of industrialization. With new techniques, van Gogh produced paintings evoked tenderness of couples taking a walk in the park or social commentary about the ways in which factories affected country life. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asnières_(Van_Gogh_series)

Square Saint-Pierre bij zonsondergang (Square Saint-Pierre at Sunset)
May 1887
Oil on canvas on cardboard
33 x 42 cm
Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/s0098V1962

It takes a while before you realize what is so different about this painting: Van Gogh made the sky predominantly yellow and the foreground blue. This is how he painted the nightfall. The three figures between the trees are no more than shadows. It is easy to see that the Paris Square Saint-Pierre was a relatively new park in Van Gogh's time. The trees are still young. It is now called Square Louise-Michel and lies at the foot of the Sacré Coeur basilica, now one of the most famous churches in Paris. It was under construction at the time.

 

The square Louise-Michel as you can see it on Google streetview