A pointed church tower rises above a quiet village in falling snow. Snow-capped stone houses with a few glowing windows stand along the bank, and bare trees spread dark branches against a turbulent, sepia-toned sky. Tiny golden specks cling to the branches of the tree on the right.

Skaters in long dark coats and hats move across the glossy ice, and their reflections and scratch marks show on the surface. Thick, scraped paint and a cracked, aged surface give the scene a worn, old-master look in tones of gold, brown and bone.