A monumental figure dominates the composition, striding forward with a powerful, muscular body that fills nearly the entire vertical panel. He supports a large wooden staff in his left hand, its rough texture contrasting with the smoothness of his skin. A white cloth is wrapped around his hips, its folds rendered with energetic, swirling brushwork that catches the light.

His right arm curves behind him, steadying the small child perched on his left shoulder. A billowing red drapery unfurls behind the pair, framing their forms and adding a dramatic burst of color against the dark background. The man's face is furrowed with concentration, his brow shadowed and his gaze intense, as if straining under the child's unexpected weight.

Light falls from the upper left, illuminating the child's body and the man's torso, while casting deep shadows that emphasize the sculptural modeling of their forms. Their bare feet are set in shallow water, the rippling surface and scattered stones painted with quick, fluid strokes. The composition is tightly focused on the two figures, with little indication of a wider landscape, heightening the sense of intimacy and immediacy.

Every muscle and vein is described with bold, confident brushwork, characteristic of Peter Paul Rubens's dynamic style. In the upper left and right corners, the background is painted in deep, nearly black tones, with subtle gradations suggesting a nocturnal or twilight setting. The lower right corner shows a few rounded stones and a shell partially submerged in the shallow water, their surfaces glistening with highlights.

The child's left arm is draped over the man's head, and his right hand gently rests on the man's hair, while his gaze is directed downward. The red drapery behind the figures has sharply defined folds at its edges, creating angular shapes that contrast with the soft modeling of the bodies. The light striking the man's left thigh and knee creates a golden sheen, while the brushstrokes on the staff are rough and textural, emphasizing its gnarled surface. Peter Paul Rubens created this work between 1612 and 1614, during the 1610s, as established by the museum's documentation.

The museum's record identifies the two figures as Saint Christopher and the Christ Child, with the walking stick serving as a key attribute of the saint.