A wooden armchair stands at an angle across the centre of the canvas, its curved arms and legs outlined in blue and violet against a patterned floor. On the green-cushioned seat rests a thick yellow book, its cover open, beside a dark metal candlestick holding a lit candle whose flame glows with a touch of orange. The floor beneath the chair is covered in a mosaic of brushstrokes, mixing ochre, red, and green, while the wall behind is painted a flat, even green, broken only by a simple wall sconce at upper left.

The sconce supports a second candle, its flame surrounded by a halo of yellow, casting a faint shadow on the wall. Every object is rendered with thick, visible brushwork, the paint applied in short, rhythmic strokes that give the scene a sense of movement and texture. No figure appears, but the presence of the armchair, book, and candle suggests a moment just left or about to begin.

The lower left and right corners of the painting show the curved legs of the chair extending nearly to the edge of the canvas, with blue outlines accentuating their shape. A thin black line runs horizontally along the base of the green wall, separating it from the patterned floor. The floor is densely covered with short, crosswise brushstrokes in ochre, red, and green, creating a textured, almost mosaic effect.

The wall sconce at the upper left is rendered in dark green, with a looping bracket and a small, simple drip tray beneath the candle. Paul Gauguin's Armchair was painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1888 in Arles. The work is described as a still life, depicting a fauteuil, candle, book, and carpet, all seen from a high viewpoint.