A mass of armored knights, soldiers, and horses surges across the canvas, locked in violent combat under a stormy sky. At the center, a figure in vivid red—Vytautas the Great—raises his sword aloft, his gesture commanding attention amid the chaos. Tattered banners and standards, some white and others red, whip through the air, their fabric rendered with energetic, swirling brushstrokes that echo the confusion of battle.

The foreground is crowded with fallen warriors, twisted bodies, and shattered weapons, painted in a dense, almost sculptural tangle of limbs and armor. To the left, mounted figures in ornate costumes and fur-lined cloaks join the fray, their horses rearing and trampling over the wounded. The background recedes into a smoky haze, with distant troops, banners, and a windmill visible on the left, suggesting the vast scale of the conflict.

Matejko’s brushwork is vigorous and detailed, layering bright reds, golds, and silvers over deep shadows to heighten the sense of turmoil and urgency. Each figure is individualized, with expressive faces and distinctive armor or clothing, contributing to the painting’s complexity and narrative richness. The composition is tightly packed, with diagonals formed by lances, flags, and outstretched arms driving the viewer’s gaze across the tumultuous scene.

Small details abound, from the embroidery on garments to the glint of metal and the fluttering of feathers, rewarding close inspection. At the bottom left corner, a fallen man in a blue-green tunic lies with his arm outstretched, his face turned toward the viewer and his legs tangled with another body. Near the lower right edge, a figure in a bright turquoise robe crouches over a wounded man, the folds of the garment painted with fluid, curving lines.

On the far right, a cluster of spears and pikes juts diagonally upward, their sharp points highlighted by touches of white and orange paint. The left edge features a mounted warrior in a flowing yellow cloak, his horse’s mane and bridle picked out in crisp, energetic brushstrokes. Light falls unevenly across the scene, illuminating the central figures in red and white while casting the edges and corners into deeper, cooler shadows with bluish and greenish tones.