A bald alchemist stands at his furnace on the right, stirring the contents of his crucible while reading a small book. His young apprentice stands by, attentively looking to the alchemist for guidance. Books and other apparatus are scattered on the floor. In the background are two other assistants, working at a lab bench while a man speaks to them through an upper-story window. On the left is a small dog lying near a large earthenware pot and several broken pot shards.