A dark rowboat carrying several figures glides across the icy surface of the Seine in the foreground, their forms loosely defined with quick, textured brushstrokes. The riverbank is scattered with patches of snow and ice, rendered in pale blues, whites, and touches of ochre, suggesting the chill of winter. Behind the river, a group of small figures appears on the frozen shore, some clustered together and others walking apart, their silhouettes mere suggestions against the luminous ground.

The middle distance is dominated by the clustered rooftops of Vétheuil, their shapes softened and blurred by the atmospheric effects of cold light and mist. Above the village rises the distinctive silhouette of the Église Notre-Dame de Vétheuil, its tower standing out against the pale, snow-covered hillside. The entire scene is bathed in a silvery, diffused light, with the sky and land merging in a harmony of cool tones and broken brushwork.

Monet’s brushstrokes are visible and energetic, layering dabs and streaks of color to evoke the shimmer of water, the crispness of snow, and the fleeting quality of winter sunlight. Reflections of the boat, figures, and buildings ripple across the surface of the river, dissolving into abstract patterns of blue, green, and violet. Touches of green and brown in the water and along the bank hint at the underlying landscape beneath the snow.

Paint is applied in varied thicknesses, with some areas of the canvas showing the weave beneath thin layers, while others are built up with heavier impasto. The subject is the Seine at Vétheuil, with the church of Notre-Dame and the surrounding landscape under winter conditions.