Three men sit closely around a small, white table, each absorbed in a card game that unfolds between them. A fourth figure, standing behind the players, watches with his arms folded and a pipe in his mouth, his red scarf and blue jacket setting him apart from the others. The seated men wear hats and rustic jackets; the man on the left leans forward, his face intent, while the man in the center holds his cards tightly and looks down at his hand.

The player on the right, draped in a heavy blue coat, also studies the cards, his profile turned toward the table and his hands resting on its surface. Scattered playing cards and a pipe lie on the tabletop, hinting at the slow, deliberate pace of the game and the everyday nature of the scene. Behind the group, the wall is painted in broad, textured strokes of blue, green, and grey, punctuated by four pipes hanging in a neat row.

A heavy gold curtain on the right side of the composition adds warmth and frames the gathering, contrasting with the cool tones of the wall and the men's clothing. The light in the room is diffuse, casting gentle shadows and highlighting the rough textures of the men's faces, hands, and garments. Cézanne's brushwork is visible throughout, with thick, layered strokes that build up the forms and give the scene a sense of solidity and weight.

The composition is tightly arranged, with the table anchoring the group and the figures forming a compact triangle, drawing attention to their concentrated expressions and gestures. The Card Players was painted by Paul Cézanne in the 1890s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art dates the work to 1890–92 and lists it as a bequest of Stephen C. Clark in 1960.