The composition and subject matter of this painting make it a good example of Chrétien’s best known work. Indeed, the painter specialised in representations of urban views from the picturesque and bohemian district of Montmartre in Paris, also known as the painters’ quarter. This charming and quaint steep street, which in the 19^th century replaced the old road that died in the already vanished watering trough after which the street was named, was represented in countless paintings by artists of the time, like Maurice Utrillo (1883-1955), and it was a popular thoroughfare in this bohemian quarter of Paris peopled by artists.

Noteworthy in this painting is the use of light, skilfully resolving the shadows of the midday sun almost directly overhead. The composition is arranged around the axis of the street, with the Sacré Coeur Basilica in the distance. The buildings play a major role but do not overshadow this instant that captures the simplicity of everyday life.