The architecture fills the canvas from edge to edge, its towers and arches rendered with thick, textured brushstrokes that blur the boundaries between structure and atmosphere. Pale blues, creamy whites, and soft yellows dominate the scene, with touches of pink and lavender suggesting the play of sunlight across carved stone. The central portal, crowned by a pointed arch, anchors the composition, while the rose window above glows with a subtle, circular shimmer.

On the lower left, three small, darkly colored figures stand at the foot of the cathedral, their forms barely defined against the luminous façade, giving a sense of scale to the monument. The sky behind the cathedral is a clear, radiant blue, setting off the pale architecture and heightening the effect of dazzling midday light. The composition is almost symmetrical, yet the loose handling of paint and the varied intensity of light create a dynamic, living impression.

No hard outlines define the forms; instead, the structure emerges from a mosaic of short, layered strokes, each one contributing to the sense of air and brilliance. Near the bottom right, the artist’s signature, 'Claude Monet,' appears in red, anchoring the work in its creator’s hand. The upper left and right corners of the canvas show the cathedral’s towers dissolving into the sky, their forms softened by loose, indistinct brushwork.

The sunlight falls most intensely on the central and right portions of the façade, creating a glowing effect that contrasts with the cooler blue shadows on the left. In the lower right corner, the paint is applied in swirling, overlapping strokes of lavender and pale gold, suggesting the shadowed recesses of the architecture. Fine vertical lines of pale blue and yellow run down the left edge, hinting at the intricate tracery and columns along the side of the building.

Small flecks of green and ochre appear in the uppermost spires and along the edges, adding subtle variation to the stone’s coloration. Claude Monet is the artist of this painting, as named in the title line. The subject is given as the west façade of Rouen Cathedral, seen in sunlight, according to the title. No date is listed for this work in the catalogue entry, and no further history is provided.