A bearded man sits between two young girls, his head turned slightly to the right as he gazes at the child perched on the ledge beside him. The man’s dark suit and brown hair contrast with the pale, loosely brushed forms of the children’s white dresses, which dominate the foreground. The background is dominated by green shutters, painted with broad, horizontal strokes, and a suggestion of foliage to the upper left, giving a sense of an outdoor or garden setting.

Light falls from the left, illuminating the faces of the children and catching the folds of their dresses, while the man’s face is partly in shadow. The composition is asymmetrical, with the figures grouped close together, their forms overlapping and interlocking, creating a sense of intimacy and familial connection. Degas’s brushwork varies across the surface: the faces and hands are more finished, while the clothing and background are treated with rapid, visible strokes, leaving areas of canvas exposed.

Small details, such as the delicate rendering of the children’s fingers and the subtle modeling of the man’s beard, reward close inspection. The child on the left wears a white bonnet with a ruffled edge that frames her face and blends into the loosely painted white dress. The girl on the right is distinguished by a large, deep red bow tied at her collar and a dark fur hat that contrasts with her golden hair.

In the upper left corner, leafy green foliage is loosely rendered with dappled brushstrokes, partially obscuring the background. The lower left corner of the canvas is thinly painted, with the brown underpainting and canvas texture visible beneath the sketchy forms. The right edge of the painting reveals a vertical strip of pale, textured wall, painted with quick, horizontal lines that echo the shutters.

Light falls most strongly on the girl at right, highlighting her face, collar, and the crisp folds of her dress, while the left side of the canvas remains more subdued. The contours of the figures are defined with dark, confident lines, especially around the hands and faces, giving structure to the otherwise loose and unfinished passages of paint.