The panel depicts the Holy Family, with the Virgin supporting the Child on her lap in the foreground, while the painter places Saint Joseph behind her, gazing upon the Holy Infant in an attitude of serene and devoted adoration. The three figures are gathered within a close-knit and compact composition, organized according to a pyramidal structure in which the Child constitutes the focal point, the visual and devotional center of the entire scene. This type of sacred composition was widely adopted in the early years of the sixteenth century, owing to its remarkable capacity to convey a powerful sense of emotional monumentality.

The work may be regarded as a significant example of the art of Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, as it allows some of the figurative prototypes characteristic of the Florentine master to be recognized with particular clarity. The facial type of the Virgin, that of the Child, and, above all, the aged features of Saint Joseph are recurring elements in numerous other compositions by the artist, almost acquiring the status of distinctive models within his artistic production.