A man with a dark beard and hair, wearing a brown fur coat and holding a letter
The painting depicts a man shown from the chest up, positioned slightly to the left of center, against a dark, almost black background. He has a fair complexion, a full, dark brown beard, and dark brown hair that is short on the sides and slightly longer on top. His eyes are dark and look directly forward. He wears a dark, possibly black, garment with a white, ruffled collar visible at his neck. Over this, he wears a voluminous, light brown fur coat that covers his shoulders and extends down past his waist. The fur has varying shades of brown, creating texture. His right arm is bent, with his hand visible, wearing a light-colored glove or sleeve with a white cuff. His left hand, also with a light-colored cuff, holds a small, folded piece of white paper with dark, handwritten text on it. The paper is creased and folded. The lighting illuminates his face and the fur coat, creating a contrast with the dark background.