A dying man reclines on an ornate golden bed, his body draped in white cloth and his arm extended to hand a globe to a young figure standing before him. The bed is covered with a vivid red blanket, its folds sharply defined against the pale fur lining and the smooth, polished wood of the frame. Three young men stand together at the left, their bodies turned toward the central figure; one reaches out to receive the orb, while the others look on with solemn expressions.

Behind the bed, three older men observe the scene from the shadows, their faces somber and partially obscured by darkness and the heavy drapery that frames the upper part of the composition. To the right, a bearded man in green leans over the dying figure, his hand gently resting on the bed, while a woman in blue sits apart, her head bowed and her hand pressed to her face in grief. A small dog lies curled at the woman's feet, its body rendered with quick, fluid brushstrokes that echo the loose handling of the drapery above.

The entire scene is set within a grand interior, suggested by a fluted column at the left and a shell-shaped niche above, while sweeping curtains create a sense of intimacy and enclosure. Light falls from the upper left, illuminating the central figures and highlighting the rich textures of fabric, flesh, and gold, while the background recedes into deep shadow. The palette is dominated by warm earth tones—ochres, reds, and browns—contrasted with cool blues and greys in the garments and the marble floor.

The brushwork is energetic and varied, with broad, expressive strokes in the drapery and more precise touches in the faces and hands, creating a sense of movement and immediacy. Small details, such as the delicate glass vessels on the stool and the intricate carving of the bed, reward close inspection and add to the narrative richness of the scene. The composition is carefully balanced, with the dying man and the group of young men forming a diagonal axis, while the grieving woman and the dog anchor the lower right corner. The Death of Constantine the Great is painted by Peter Paul Rubens in 1622.

The subject is the deathbed of Constantine the Great, depicted here as a moment of solemn transfer and mourning. This work was offered at Christie's in London on 7 December 2006, as lot 12 in sale 7294.