A group of women gathers in the foreground on a rocky shore, gesturing urgently toward a line of ships anchored near the coast. To the left, several large ships dominate the water, their tall masts and rigging sharply detailed, with red and yellow flags fluttering in the breeze. Smoke rises from the decks of the vessels closest to the shore, suggesting the moment when the Trojan women set fire to the fleet, as described in the title.

The sea is painted with quick, horizontal brushstrokes, capturing the movement of the water as it laps against the hulls and the rocky coast. In the background, a hilly landscape stretches beneath a sky filled with billowing clouds, the light breaking through in patches and illuminating the ships and figures below. A small boat, crowded with figures, is seen between the shore and the ships, connecting the action on land to the drama unfolding on the water.

Dark clouds gather in the upper right of the sky, alluding to the rainstorm that, according to the story, is summoned by Aeneas to save the ships from destruction. The composition leads the viewer’s gaze from the animated group of women at the lower right, across the water to the burning ships, and then upward to the turbulent sky. Details such as the intricate rigging, the carved prows of the vessels, and the varied postures of the women are rendered with careful attention, while the brushwork in the landscape and sky is looser, creating a sense of atmosphere and depth.