A young, nude child stands at the center, his left foot pressing down on the head of a large, coiled snake that writhes on the ground beneath him. To the left, a woman in a vivid red dress and green mantle supports the child, her hands gently guiding his arms and torso as she leans forward, her expression intent and protective. On the right, an older woman draped in muted earth tones and a pale headscarf stands with her hands clasped, her head tilted and eyes cast downward in a gesture of solemn witness.

The figures emerge dramatically from a dark, undefined background, their forms illuminated by a strong, raking light that falls from the left and carves deep shadows across their faces and drapery. The composition is tightly grouped, with the Virgin and Saint Anne forming a diagonal that frames the child’s action at the center, and the snake’s sinuous body echoing the curves of the figures above. The paint surface reveals smooth transitions in flesh and cloth, with crisp, naturalistic details in the hands, faces, and the snake’s scales.

The background is an expanse of deep black, with no discernible architectural or natural features, intensifying the focus on the figures. A sharp diagonal of light illuminates the lower left corner and the figures' faces, arms, and legs, while the right and upper edges of the painting recede into shadow. The floor at the bottom of the composition is painted in warm, earthy tones, with the snake casting a distinct shadow on its surface.

The Virgin's red garment is accented with white at the neckline and sleeves, and the folds of her dress are described with fluid, confident brushstrokes. Saint Anne's robe features subtle shifts in color from brown to gray and green, with the fabric's creases and overlaps carefully modeled by the play of light. The edges of the figures' forms are crisply defined against the darkness, with the contours of their limbs and drapery outlined by the strong contrast between light and shadow.