A floating wooden island, shaded by a single tree, sits at the center of the river, crowded with men and women in dark and light attire, some standing and others seated, their forms loosely defined by rapid, broad strokes. To the right, a covered structure juts out over the water, where more figures gather along the rail, their pale garments catching the sunlight and contrasting with the shadowed interior. In the foreground, two empty rowboats float on the shimmering surface, their hulls rendered in deep green and blue, while the water itself is animated by dappled brushwork that captures the play of light and color.

The background is filled with a band of yellow-green trees, painted with loose, repetitive marks that suggest foliage and sunlight without precise detail, and the sky above is glimpsed through the dark leaves of overhanging branches. The composition is structured around the circular island and the diagonal lines of the boats and gangplank, creating a lively sense of movement and social gathering. The paint is applied in visible, constructive strokes, especially in the water, where short, horizontal dashes of blue, white, and ochre evoke the shifting reflections and the sensation of rippling waves.

Several bathers are visible in the water to the left of the island, their heads and shoulders emerging above the surface in loose, rounded shapes. A narrow wooden walkway extends from the left edge of the island toward the left side of the painting, casting a faint shadow on the water below. In the lower right corner, the edge of another boat is visible, its curved side painted with a reddish stripe.

The far left background shows small, indistinct white shapes that suggest distant boats or sails against the yellow-green trees. Sunlight falls most strongly on the tops of the island and the covered structure, leaving the water in the foreground in deeper blue and green shadow. The upper left corner is framed by dark, leafy branches that create a sense of enclosure and contrast with the bright sky beyond.

The paint handling on the water includes swirling, broken lines of white and yellow that suggest the movement of reflections and ripples. Figures on the floating island are painted with minimal detail, their forms outlined by dark lines and patches of color rather than precise contours.