The bird is presented belly-up, its legs stiff and raised, the skin pale and slick with residual fat. The fish beside it are arranged plainly in a pan, their silvery bodies contrasting with the dull flesh, emphasising the raw finality of the scene. Goya's style is bluntly realist, with subdued tones and harsh lighting that highlight anatomical detail over aesthetic flourish, intensifying the unsettling nature of the composition.