A woman in three-quarter profile faces right, her features illuminated by a soft, golden light that falls from the left. She wears a crisp white cap, its folds rendered with thick, textured brushstrokes that catch the light and reveal the structure of the fabric. Her hair is grey and pulled back beneath the cap, exposing the delicate modeling of her forehead and temple.

The woman’s skin is painted with subtle gradations of pink, ochre, and brown, capturing the fine lines and hollows of age. A simple white collar frames her neck, painted with loose, creamy strokes that contrast with the deep, shadowed brown of her garment. The background is a dark, warm brown, arching around the figure and pushing her presence forward with no visible setting or objects.

Her gaze is directed downward and slightly away, her lips pressed together in a thoughtful, almost severe expression. A thin, dark strap runs from the cap down past her ear, ending in a small decorative bead or fastening. The paint surface varies from smooth blending in the face to energetic, visible strokes in the cap and collar, giving the portrait a sense of immediacy and presence.

The composition is tightly cropped, focusing attention on the woman’s head and upper torso, with her figure filling most of the panel. The title, Bust of an old woman in a white cap, identifies the subject as an elderly woman, and the genre as portrait. The museum’s description classifies this work as a portrait, and lists the materials as oil paint on oak panel.