A young man with curly hair and a dark cap, his face lit from the left
The painting depicts a head-and-shoulders view of a young man, angled slightly to his right, against a dark, muted background. His face, turned towards the viewer, is the most brightly lit area, with light falling predominantly from the upper left. He has fair skin with rosy cheeks and a slightly ruddy nose. His eyes are dark and look directly forward, while his mouth is closed with full lips. Dark, curly hair frames his face, extending from beneath a dark, soft cap that covers the top of his head and casts a shadow over his forehead and the right side of his face. He wears a dark, broad-collared coat or jacket, with a hint of a lighter, possibly white, shirt or collar visible at his neck. Visible brushstrokes are present, particularly in the highlights of the face and the texture of the clothing. The background is a uniform dark gray-brown.