A single black magpie perches on a wooden gate at the center left, its small form sharply silhouetted against the pale snow. The scene unfolds on a quiet winter day, with thick snow blanketing the ground, trees, and the wattle fence that runs horizontally across the foreground and middle distance. Long blue shadows stretch diagonally from left to right across the snow, cast by the low winter sun and the fence posts, creating a rhythmic pattern on the ground.

To the right, a cluster of leafless trees with twisting branches stands in front of a house, its roof and chimneys barely visible beneath layers of snow. The background dissolves into a luminous haze, where distant trees and fields are suggested with delicate, loose brushstrokes and subtle transitions of pale blues, violets, and creams. Monet applies the paint with visible, textured brushwork, especially in the snow and branches, giving the surface a sense of freshness and immediacy.

The composition leads the gaze from the shadowed foreground up the gentle slope to the gate, then across to the house and the softly glowing sky. Small details, such as the uneven snow piled on the fence and the delicate tracery of branches, reveal the artist’s close observation of the effects of winter. A small, rounded stone or mound partially covered in snow appears in the lower right quadrant near the base of the fence.

The upper left and lower left corners are framed by the vertical posts of the wooden gate and fence, which are painted with loose, brown strokes. In the far distance, faint outlines of more trees and hedgerows are suggested with thin, almost transparent brushstrokes along the horizon. The sunlight falls most strongly on the snow at the center and right foreground, creating a subtle shimmer of pale yellow and lavender tones.

The paint is applied in distinct, broken strokes to depict the texture of snow clinging to the branches and the uneven surface of the ground. Lines of the wattle fence curve gently and are irregular, with dark gaps and tangled shapes visible beneath the snow in the lower center and right.