A group of five women stands at the center of the scene, three of them nude and one clothed in a rose-colored dress, as they cluster around a seated figure who writes in a large book. To the left, a muscular male figure draped in red plays a cello, his gaze directed toward the women, while a lute and other musical instruments rest on the ground at his feet. Above, a winged male figure descends from the sky, his body twisting as he gestures downward, his white and red drapery billowing behind him.

The light falls most strongly on the central group of women, illuminating their pale skin and highlighting the soft modeling of their bodies, while the surrounding rocks and drapery remain in shadow. The composition is tightly packed, with figures overlapping and interacting, creating a sense of intimacy and dynamic movement within the group. Delicate brushwork is visible in the rendering of flesh and fabrics, with subtle transitions of color and tone that give the scene a lifelike presence.

The color scheme is dominated by warm flesh tones, deep reds, and earthy browns, punctuated by the white drapery and the pale blue of the waterfall. The figures’ gestures and expressions convey concentration and attentiveness, with the women focused on the book and the musician engaged in his playing. A theatrical mask lies on the ground near the bottom edge, surrounded by scattered flowers and a sheet of music.

In the lower right corner, green foliage emerges from the shadowed earth, contrasting with the bare rock. The background features a rocky grotto framing a pale waterfall that cascades behind the central figures. The light from above creates a silvery highlight on the waterfall and the upper bodies of the nude women, while the musician’s torso and the objects at his feet are partly in shadow.

The brushwork in the red drapery overhead is loose and sweeping, with visible strokes that suggest movement and depth. The Education of Marie de' Medici is painted by Peter Paul Rubens in the 1620s, during a period between circa 1623 and circa 1625.