Maurice Utrillo, known as the “son of Paris,” was one of the most outstanding and ingenious French painters of the 20th century. Utrillo was the son of the painter, Suzanne Valadon. At that time, Valadon had been the “spiritual muse” and exclusive model of many big-name artists. As just a few examples, she appears in the paintings of Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas. For the young Utrillo, however, his efforts were overshadowed by the fact that he was a bastard son. His teenage years were haunted by mockery from others. When he was 18, he became an alcoholic and was sent to a sanitarium. To stop Utrillo from wasting his youth, Valadon encouraged him to paint. In Utrillo’s eyes, his mother was a great woman. When he first started painting, he would sign his full name and attach his mother’s family name, “Maurice Utrillo–Valadon,” to show his profound love and respect for her. Utrillo was born in Montmartre, a hill to the north of Paris, was a famous site to which artists from around the world visited. It was a quintessential region filled with a Bohemian lifestyle in the early 20th century. Utrillo grew up here under a rich artistic atmosphere. He was deeply attracted by the streets and alleys and also the mountains and villages, fascinated by the old buildings with white-washed walls under green shadows. Utrillo painted various sceneries of Montmartre. His images were tranquil, simple, and beautifully composed. His classical and simple style makes some art critics categorize his expression techniques as impressionism.