The desolate scene of a shipwreck in a storm, with the boat thrown on to coastal rocks and the sole survivor of the crew recovering on the shore. The prow of the boat has been driven aground with the hull remaining in the sea, being battered by the waves; the broken mast and rigging trail into the water with debris scattered across the rocks and shore. To the left is the dark sea, which stretches to the horizon. A jagged rocky outcrop fills the right edge of the composition with columns of white spray rising from the sea crashing against it. In the right bottom corner, seated on a rock, is the isolated, semi-nude figure of the survivor with his head held in his hands. The sky is filled with dark, oppressive clouds which thin out over the land.