A muscular young man, clad in a lion skin and a pink drapery, leans forward to present the severed head of a wild boar to a seated woman with fair skin and golden hair, who draws her hand to her chest in surprise or modesty. The woman, her body partially covered by a vivid red cloth, sits at the base of a tree, her gaze lowered and her expression gentle, while a slender hunting dog presses its head against her thigh, its nose close to the boar's trophy. Between the two main figures, a winged putto stands with his back to the viewer, one hand reaching up to touch the boar's snout, his small body rendered with soft, rounded brushwork that catches the light.

The tree behind the woman is festooned with a hunting horn and a quiver of arrows, their metallic and leather textures carefully described, while the ground beneath is scattered with tufts of grass and a discarded bow. The landscape opens to the right, revealing a distant horizon bathed in warm, golden light, contrasting with the cooler shadows that model the figures' flesh and the rich folds of their drapery. The composition is tightly knit, with the figures forming a dynamic triangle, their gestures and glances locking the viewer’s attention on the central act of presentation.

Brushstrokes are energetic yet controlled, especially in the rendering of hair, fur, and foliage, where Rubens layers thick, luminous paint to evoke texture and movement. The palette is dominated by earthy reds, warm ochres, and creamy flesh tones, punctuated by the cool greens and blues of the landscape and sky. The subject draws on classical legend, with Meleager and Atalanta both named in the title and depicted at the center, while the slain Calydonian boar is rendered in detail as the focus of their exchange.