▁sketch ▁of ▁the ▁painting ▁is ▁included ▁in ▁a ▁letter ▁van ▁G og h ▁sent ▁to ▁his ▁friend ▁Eug ène ▁Bo ch ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁ ▁Star ry ▁Night , ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁in ▁the ▁Musée ▁d ' O rs ay ▁in ▁Paris , ▁was ▁first ▁exhib ited ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁at ▁Paris ' ▁annual ▁exhibition ▁of ▁the ▁Société ▁des ▁Art istes ▁Ind ép end ants . ▁It ▁was ▁shown ▁together ▁with ▁van ▁G og h ' s ▁I ris es , ▁which ▁was ▁added ▁by ▁Vincent ' s ▁brother , ▁The o , ▁although ▁Vincent ▁had ▁proposed ▁including ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁paint ings ▁from ▁the ▁public ▁gard ens ▁in ▁Ar les . ▁ ▁Sub ject ▁matter ▁ ▁The ▁view ▁is ▁from ▁the ▁qu ay ▁( a ▁waters ide ▁street ) ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ône , ▁into ▁the ▁kne e ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁towards ▁the ▁western ▁shore : ▁coming ▁down ▁from ▁the ▁north , ▁the ▁Rh ône ▁turns ▁to ▁the ▁right ▁at ▁this ▁point ▁to ▁surr ound ▁the ▁rocks ▁on ▁which ▁Ar les ▁is ▁built . ▁From ▁the ▁to wers ▁of ▁Saint - Jul ien ▁and ▁Saint - T roph ime ▁at ▁the ▁left , ▁the ▁spect ator ▁follows ▁the ▁east ▁bank ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁iron ▁bridge ▁connecting ▁Ar les ▁to ▁the ▁sub urb ▁of ▁Tr in quet aille ▁on ▁the ▁right , ▁western ▁bank . ▁This ▁implies ▁a ▁view ▁from ▁Place ▁Lam art ine ▁towards ▁the ▁south west