This iconic post-impressionist oil painting depicts a tranquil nighttime scene along the banks of the Rhone River. The composition is horizontally divided between the dark, textured sky and the deep blue water, which reflects the luminous city lights from the far shore.
In the foreground, a pair of silhouetted figures stands on the embankment, looking out toward the river. The water is rendered with short, rhythmic brushstrokes that create vertical ripples of golden light, contrasting sharply against the surrounding shadows of the riverbanks and the boats moored nearby.
Above, the night sky is filled with bright, glowing stars, captured with swirling, thick applications of paint typical of the artist's expressive style. The colour palette is dominated by intense shades of ultramarine, cobalt, and midnight blue, punctuated by vibrant, warm yellows and golds from the celestial bodies and the distant streetlights. The overall mood is one of quiet, nocturnal stillness, emphasizing the interplay between light and darkness in a serene natural setting.