Marie de' Medici appears seated against a deep brown background, her upper body turned slightly to her left while her gaze meets the viewer directly. Her pale face is framed by softly curled, powdered hair, and she wears a high, elaborate ruff that fans out in crisp, translucent white folds, edged with a distinctive scalloped pattern. A single strand of pearls encircles her neck, matched by a pair of pearl earrings that catch the light on either side of her face.

The light falls from the left, illuminating her face and the ruff, and casting gentle shadows that accentuate the volume and texture of the fabric. Her dress is rendered in a deep, velvety black, absorbing the surrounding light and providing a dramatic contrast to the luminous whites of her collar and cuffs. The cuffs of her sleeves echo the ruff’s scalloped edges, painted with delicate, feathery strokes that suggest the fine, sheer fabric.

Rubens uses smooth, blended brushwork for the skin, capturing subtle variations in tone and the soft modeling of the face and hands. The background is painted with broad, loose strokes, its reddish-brown hue receding to emphasize the sitter’s presence. Small details, such as the glint on each pearl and the gentle shadow beneath her chin, reveal the artist’s attention to the play of light across different textures. This is a portrait by Peter Paul Rubens depicting Marie de' Medici (1575–1642), as identified in the title and artist line.

The subject, Marie de' Medici, is shown in formal attire, her identity confirmed by both the title and the depiction.