A muscular, bearded man sits at the center, his body turned slightly to the left, while a woman in a pale, translucent garment with a yellowish tint stands beside him, tugging playfully at his ear. She is adorned with a crown of flowers and draped in a lion skin, her bare legs visible as she balances with one foot on a stone ledge. The man holds a distaff in his right hand, and his left arm rests on his thigh, while a red cloth is gathered beneath him.

To the left, a domestic worker in a brown cap and robe leans forward, gesturing animatedly with his hands, his face turned toward the central figures. At the lower left, a young girl in a gold and white dress kneels, her gaze directed upward, holding a bundle of sticks in her arms. Behind the main group, shadowy figures fade into the dark background, their features barely distinguishable.

The lighting falls from the upper left, illuminating the flesh of the central figures and casting the surrounding characters into deeper shadow. The composition is tightly arranged, with the figures overlapping and filling much of the canvas, creating a sense of intimacy and tension. Rubens uses bold, visible brushstrokes to model the forms, especially in the rendering of muscles, hair, and drapery, giving the scene a dynamic, almost sculptural quality.

The color scheme features warm tones in the flesh, golds and reds in the drapery, and darker browns and greens in the background and clothing, setting the figures apart from their surroundings. The Louvre's record notes that this is a mythological painting and includes elements of nudity, with both Heracles and Omphale shown partially unclothed. A domestic worker and a girl are also present, contributing to the narrative and domestic atmosphere of the scene.