A group of shepherds gathers in adoration around the newborn Christ Child, who lies at the center of the composition on a bed of white cloth, his body softly illuminated against the darker surroundings. To the left, a shepherd in a green tunic kneels with one knee bent, his hands clasped in awe, while a lamb rests by his side on the ground, its white coat catching the light. Behind him, two more shepherds stand: one in a yellow garment with hands pressed together in prayer, and another in white, arms raised upward in a gesture of praise, both faces turned toward the infant.

At the right, the Virgin Mary sits close to the Child, her robe rendered in deep pink and blue, her gaze calm and contemplative as she presents the baby to the visitors. Beside her, Saint Joseph is shown with grey hair and beard, his hands raised in a gesture of gentle wonder, his figure draped in a dark cloak that blends into the shadowed background. Above, three angels hover in a burst of light, their bodies foreshortened as they descend with a fluttering banner, their skin tones and drapery painted in swirling, expressive strokes.

The color scheme is dominated by deep greens, ochres, and blues, with vivid accents of white and pink that draw attention to the central figures. A wooden staff lies diagonally across the lower right foreground, its pale color standing out against the deep shadows. In the background at the right, a donkey and an ox are faintly visible, their forms partly obscured by darkness and loose brushwork.

A patch of bright orange cloth appears beneath the kneeling shepherd, adding a vivid accent near the bottom edge. The light from the Christ Child falls unevenly, casting sharp highlights on faces and garments while leaving the corners and upper edges in deep shadow. The Adoration of the Shepherds was painted by El Greco in the early 1600s, a period when he was associated with the Mannerism movement.