Marguerite Gachet sits at an upright piano, her body turned in profile as she plays, with her hands poised above the keys and her gaze fixed on the sheet music before her. Her hair is arranged in a chignon, and she wears a pale dress with a high collar and long sleeves, the fabric rendered in thick, energetic strokes of white, blue, and lilac paint. The piano occupies the left side of the composition, its dark wood surface contrasting with the lighter tones of Marguerite's dress and the sheet music propped up in front of her.

A single candleholder stands on the piano, its form outlined in swift, confident lines, while the stool beneath Marguerite is painted in green with curving legs visible at the lower right. The background is a vibrant field of green, animated by small, rhythmic red dots and swirling brushwork that gives the wall a sense of movement and energy. Light falls from the upper left, illuminating Marguerite's face and the folds of her dress, casting subtle shadows that emphasize the volume of her figure and the piano.

The floor is painted in reddish-brown tones, with short, parallel strokes suggesting a textured surface beneath the stool and Marguerite's feet. Every element of the scene is defined by the artist's characteristic brushwork, with thick, directional lines that build form and convey a sense of immediacy and vitality. The composition is vertical, accentuating Marguerite's upright posture and the tall, narrow proportions of the piano and the figure.

Small details, such as the delicate curve of Marguerite's fingers and the subtle highlights on her hair, reveal careful observation and a sensitivity to gesture. Marguerite Gachet at the Piano was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise.