"Montmartre Trio - One Fine Day In Paris"

Montmartre Trio – One Fine Day in Paris | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua

This pastel on paper by Susan Cua captures the everyday poetry of Montmartre in Paris, a neighborhood long associated with painters, cafés, and street artists. Executed in an impressionistic style, a key characteristic is Cua's works. The composition centers on three figures—viewed from behind—walking together through a lively open-air art market. Their presence anchors the scene and creates the quiet narrative that inspired the artist’s original working title, “The Trio.”

The pastel medium allows soft blending and diffused edges, creating a sense of motion and immediacy. Umbrellas in soft whites, blues, and warm reds punctuate the composition, suggesting the informal stalls where artists display paintings for passersby. Framed artworks lean against easels and tables, forming a visual rhythm along both sides of the walkway. The figures move gently forward through this corridor of art, inviting the viewer to follow them into the scene.

Cua’s handling of color reflects classic Impressionist sensibilities. Cool greys and muted blues suggest the stone architecture and winter air of Montmartre, while warmer accents—scarlet umbrellas, a red vest, and glowing interior lights—animate the street with life and human warmth. The bare tree branches arch overhead, framing the market below and subtly reinforcing the depth of the street as it recedes toward the pale Parisian buildings in the background.

Beyond its visual charm, the painting carries personal inspiration and memory. When Susan Cua lived in Paris to study art, Montmartre became part of her weekly rhythm. She would visit the district—often on a quiet Monday when the crowds were lighter—to enjoy a simple but special lunch at one of the cafés. Though she lived modestly as a travelling artist in those days, she gave herself this weekly treat, savoring the lunch menus and browsing the art stalls where souvenirs could be found at the best prices if one knew where to look. These small rituals of everyday life shaped her emotional connection to the place.

This pastel was among the first pieces she created while living in her Paris apartment. The artwork represents both a memory and a formative moment in her artistic development.

Montmartre also held personal memories with friends and family. The cafés there were the setting of celebrations with friends, including a birthday surprise when waiters emerged singing with a small dessert candle. Such moments of companionship and simple joy echo in the painting’s gentle mood: three figures strolling together through a place where art, food, and friendship naturally intersect.

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