Two women sit on the sand, one cross-legged in a pale pink dress and the other with her legs bent to the side, wearing a red pareu patterned with white leaves. The woman on the left looks downward, her long dark hair tied with a yellow ribbon and adorned with a white flower, while her arm stretches behind her for support. Behind them, bands of green and dark blue stretch horizontally, with white lines that could suggest either waves or architectural elements, creating an ambiguous setting.

The surface is marked by broad, visible brushstrokes and areas of flat, saturated color, characteristic of the bold, simplified forms of Post-impressionism. A small white flower lies on the sand near the center bottom edge of the painting. A thin, curved brown line arcs around the beige object, suggesting a shadow or mark on the sand.

A circular, straw-colored hat or ring rests on the sand near the bottom center, partially overlapping the pink dress. The sand is depicted with swirling, textured brushstrokes in yellows, ochres, and hints of pink. In the upper background, the green band is bordered by a thin, uneven white line, separating it from the dark blue above.

The upper right corner is dominated by a deep, almost black, blue that suggests the sea or sky at dusk. The left edge of the painting shows a transition from sandy yellow to a strip of green, blending softly with the background. Light falls from the left, illuminating the women’s faces and casting subtle shadows beneath their arms and legs.

The outlines of the figures are defined with dark, confident lines, especially around the arms and faces. The paint application varies from smooth blending in the faces to rough, expressive strokes in the sand and background. The figures are depicted in a state of quiet repose, not engaged in work, which sets this scene apart from some of Gauguin’s earlier Tahitian compositions.