A bearded, elderly man lies stretched out on a heavy wooden cross, his body twisted and his arms extended as he is nailed to the beams. His face, marked by deep lines and white hair, turns toward the viewer with an expression of pain and resignation. Two executioners, their faces mostly hidden or turned away, strain with ropes and brute force to raise the cross from the rocky ground.

One figure, at the lower left, crouches with his back to the viewer, his muscular arms and legs illuminated by a shaft of light as he grips the wood and pulls upward. The second executioner, standing behind the cross, braces himself with bent knees and both hands gripping a rope, his head bowed and hidden by his arms. The entire scene is set against a dark, undefined background, focusing attention on the figures and the drama of the moment.

Light falls harshly from the left, carving out the forms of bodies, the folds of cloth, and the grain of the wooden cross with striking clarity. The palette is dominated by earth tones—ochres, browns, and muted greens—contrasted with the pale flesh of the figures and the white of Saint Peter's loincloth. Near the bottom right, a blue drapery lies discarded on the ground beside scattered stones, painted with broad, textured strokes.

The composition is sharply diagonal, with the cross forming a strong line from lower left to upper right, intensifying the sense of movement and struggle. The figure at the left wears a red cloth draped over his shoulder, which stands out against the otherwise muted palette. In the upper right corner, the background fades into deep shadow with no discernible objects or landscape features.

A large, irregularly shaped stone sits at the bottom edge near the center, surrounded by smaller pebbles and debris. The executioner on the left has a bare foot planted firmly on the ground, toes splayed and heel lifted, emphasizing the strain of his action. The light accentuates the sinewy muscles and veins of the figures' arms and legs, while leaving their faces partially obscured or in shadow.